PANJIM: Mining dependents currently left jobless due to closure of iron ore activities in the State, have petitioned Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar requesting a relief package that includes waiving off their bank loan liabilities.
Truck owners and heavy machinery and equipment operators also submitted a representation to the Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) and to Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma seeking immediate relief.
“Mining ban in 2012 had already caused us tremendous loss and the current stoppage of iron ore activities has added to our misery. We have bought our trucks, repaired them, machinery and equipment on heavy loans since we had never even imagined the kind of plight. Now in view of stoppage of mining in Goa, we don’t even have the money to feed ourselves,” the dependents have said in their representation.
“We need support from the government in paying off the liabilities we have on our shoulders and to feed our families,” they added.
The dependents said they have no other source of income and requested the government to give them monthly financial support or provide them with other source of income so that they can clear their liabilities and their families do not starve.
“Or we request the government to come out with a relief package for us and waive off our loans that we had taken from banks to purchase these trucks as we are unable to repay the loans due to the mining stoppage,” they demanded.
Iron ore mining activities in the State came to halt on March 16 following a Supreme Court order.
