TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Refuting the claims of the Opposition that BJP closed the mining, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar clarified that it was necessary to clean up the mess created in mining industry during Congress tenure, and that he had intended to restart mining phase by phase. Unfortunately, Jayanti Natarajan suspended the Environment Clearances which created further complications for State government.
He alleged that the Central government was not serious enough to start mining in Goa until the rate for US Dollar went sky rocketing due to decline in iron ore exports. A package of Rs 12 crore has been sanctioned and would be distributed after the code of conduct ends. Relief would also be given to mining dependents like truck owners, drivers, barge owners as well as machinery owners and operators by June this year and make the mining belt debt free.
While addressing the people of Sanvordem constituency, Parrikar said that the mining and buffer zone issue would be handled in a softer and amicable way considering peoples’ requirement as well as environmental effects. He also assured Sanvordem residents who have been staying in forest area before the notification came into existence, would get relief. He said, after BJP comes to power at the Centre, necessary alterations in draft notification would be made in consultation with local bodies and not from Delhi.
BJPs south Goa candidate for Lok Sabha Adv Narendra Savaikar put forth the need for a new government at the Centre. Alleging that the Central government wasn’t serious in its arguments before Supreme Court on mining ban in the state, he assured that the Modi government will give precedence to it.
Minister for Industries Mahadev Naik said the government was in the process of acquiring 4.85 lakh sq mtr area for an industrial estate in Mollem.
Local MLA and IDC Chairman Ganesh Gaonkar reminded people about the cancellation of tax on trucks of mining effected people. He also observed that the BJP government gave 400 jobs in two years compared to a total of about 237 in the earlier decade.
BJP State President Vinay Tendulkar asked the people to vote and elect both the candidates from Goa to participate in Central government.
ZP Pradeep Dessai, Rashmi Lambor, Mollem sarpanch Govind Gaonkar, Collem Sarpanch Savita Dessai, Kale Sarpanch Vaishali Naik, Dabhal Sarpanch Deepak Pauskar, Savordem sarpanch Shashikant Naik were present on the stage.
