PONDA: In the backdrop of BJP National President Amith Shah coming to Goa on Sunday, the mining dependents say that the party should stop making hollow promises on mining and must do something concrete to restart mining.
The mining dependents as well as thousands of people who lost their jobs in the mining sector are worried about their future after the closure of mining. These people blame the government for not having a mining policy to restart the mining in the State.
According to All Goa Truck Owners Association President Nilkant Gawas, Shah is not coming to solve the mining issue, but for election purpose since the Lok Sabha polls are coming closer.
He said that during the last Lok Sabha election, people from the mining belt voted for the BJP after the prime minister promised to restart mining. This was reaffirmed recently by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. “Therefore, now the BJP leaders should restart mining in Goa and then speak about it,” he said.
He opined that the BJP was not serious about mining affected people but more bothered about mining companies.
“If the government can’t solve our problem, it should resign,” Gawas demanded.
He said that empty assurances are made keeping an eye on elections, which the people have learnt from their past experiences.
“The BJP leaders, who make promises on mining, should declare the date of restarting mining and how would it restart,” he said.
Namdev Naik from Dharbandora taluka said that mining dependent people have been suffering after losing livelihood. “We are expecting the State government to submit a memorandum to Amith Shah and in turn he should present it before the BJP government at Delhi for restarting mining.”
