Team Herald
Ponda: Goa Mining People Front (GMPF) leader Puthi Gaonkar believes that if mining is not resumed, there will be serious repercussions on life of mining dependents. He was speaking to the media today along with members of the front. Puthi Gaonkar said people in six talukas of the mining belt observed hundred percent bandh to show that they want their livelihood back as early as possible and that government should find solution at the earliest. If mining is not resumed before code of conduct then in next six month it would badly impact mining dependent leading to scraping the trucks, machinery and barges.
Further out of approximately 40,000 around 20,000 temporary workers were retrenched in the past citing mining having not resumed. Now if it is not resumed before the code of conduct for the upcoming LS election, then the rest of the 20,000 who are working on permanent basis will be retrenched.
But it appears that State government is not willing to restart mining and their agenda might be to handover it to big industrialist with the mining dependents being sacrificed. He alleged Government want that this mining dependent should leave this business anyhow for their hidden agenda. He said if two more years pass without start of mining then there will be no mining dependent because by then the mining dependent would be forced to go out of these business by selling their trucks, machineries and barges and their small businesses.
Currently their hundreds of trucks are rusting and sold as scrap. Similarly, the Barges are also scrapped in absence of no business. This will create ideal atmosphere and open ground for government to handover the mining activities to big Industrialist they want to give.
But this will only lead to the birth of naxalites in mining belt. Because people will never allow outsider to conduct this business by setting aside the locals.
He said many of mining dependent including machine owners, truck drivers, barge owners are not able to clear their loans till date and they are receiving notices from Banks and Financial institutions. The mines dependent had sold their gold for loans but still unable to clear loans are facing notices to seize their houses and properties. This will automatically phase them out of mining business.
He alleged that two MPs of Goa proved incapable to convince the Central government to find solution on mining and said that mines dependent would teach them lesson in LS poll.
Puthi Gaonkar condemned the burning of Car at Honda on the occasion of mining band. yesterday. He said culprits had done the incident by burning scrap car that was without engine parked at roadside only to defame with stain the mining dependent and to accuse them that they
turned violent during their agitation. He said We are doing agitation for mining resumption by peaceful ways so far since past one year
