Team Herald
PONDA: The muscle flexing by those who call themselves mining dependents shows no signs of abetting. In a blatant defiance and threat which could even disrupt law and order they warned of yet another “agitation”.
Discussing their plight due to the mining closure in Goa following the Supreme Court order at the meeting organised by Mining Dependents’ Association at Gymkhana hall of Sanjivani Sugar Factory at Dharbandora, they warned of serious consequences if the police continue to harass them and their families by serving summons and threatened to launch another agitation in the capital city if government fails to provide an immediate solution to the mining crisis.
The leaders of various associations including Raymond de Sa, Nilkant Gawas, Balaji Gawas, Vallabh Dalvi and Sandeep Parab were present on the dais. Sanvordem Sarpanch Sandeep Pauskar also attended.
AGTOA president Nilkant Gawas said, “The people in the mining belt have been starving following mining closure and government should take the responsibility to provide employment to them.”
He warned of serious consequences if harassment to mines dependents is not stopped by sending them summons.
He said, “The children and families of the mining dependents, who have been left without jobs, have been under tremendous stress due to the summons from the police for participating in the recent agitation.
He said, “Over the years, the government has been using crores of rupees earned from the mining revenue for the various development and beautification works and neglecting the development in the mining belt.
He demanded that an investigation be initiated into the lathi charge on mines dependents during the Panjim agitation.
“Government has failed to find out a solution to the mining crisis and instead is threatening the helpless mining dependents. There are no chances of resuming mining in the next five years,” alleged Balaji Gawas president of Dharbandora Truck Owners’ Association and threatened to come on to streets once again and that too with their trucks.
All Goa Barge Owners’ Association president Raymond de Sa said, “There is every possibility that the ore-laden barges may sink which could result in further losses. Due to the current situation following the court order we can neither unload nor move the ore-laden barges to its locations. We will file a petition in the High Court in this regard and hope for a judgment in their favour.”
He said barge owners will wait till April 5 and threatened to unload ore either into the sea or river to ensure the safety of their barges.
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Answer these questions before you dare affect lives in Panjim
* With people in the mining belt stating clearly that many mining workers from Bihar and UP have left as their tenants, how many of them are really Goans?
* Can other Goans allow their towns and their lives to be disrupted and attacked given what happened in the earlier agitation
* Will a handful of leaders of various ‘mining dependent’ groups ensure that their so-called agitation will be peaceful and normal life won’t be affected violently
* Will they ask those who indulged in violence in the earlier agitation to surrender and face the law first before indulging in part 2 of their agitation.
