NEW DELHI: Polytechnic Mining Alumni Association of Goa (PolyMAAG), a pre-eminent body of mining engineers in the State of Goa, has appealed to the Centre to consider mining stalemate in Goa as a grave matter and take immediate and necessary steps to ensure resumption of the iron ore mining operations in the State.
The confidence of mining professionals, other dependents and the allied businesses have weakened because of two successive bans in the past decade. PolyMAAG has also urged Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to completely resolve the issue with immediate intervention from Centre.
It said the people impacted by the sudden stoppage of mining activities are struggling with no source of livelihood for past three years and their future is becoming bleak with each passing day. It said resumption of mining activities would not only provide avenues of income and livelihood to the State population, but also help in providing much needed revenue to the State Exchequer.
“Due to uncertainty in this particular industry aspiring professionals are reluctant to opt for pursuing degree in mining. We urge the Government to bring in suitable policy reforms in order to revive the industry and promote ease of doing business,” PolyMAAG said.
On the need to resume mining in Goa, PolyMAAG president Raju Salgaonkar said, “We, the mining engineers, who have spent our professional life toiling and giving back to the economy of the State. As members of PolyMAAG we have been at the forefront in the efforts to resume mining in the State of Goa; whether it is to be successfully conducting an impactful seminar in August 2018 or being a part of various delegations, which have represented the case of Goa mining at various levels in State or Centre.”
