PANJIM: The mining engineers association has urged the State government for immediate steps towards resumption of iron ore activities in Goa, which are shut since March 2018.
The Polytechnic Mining Alumni Association of Goa (PolyMAAG), the pre-eminent body of mining engineers in the State, has written to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant requesting to take up the matter of resumption of the industry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the earliest.
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“The iron ore mining industry in the State supports more than 60,000 direct and indirect jobs with more than three lakh people in the State dependent upon the mining industry for their livelihoods generation and fulfillment,” PolyMAAG President Raju Salgaonkar said in a statement issued.
Salgaonkar said that the people impacted by the sudden stoppage of mining activities are still yet to find an alternative source of livelihood and their future is looking bleak with each passing day.
“We therefore request the Chief Minister to kindly take up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and resume mining through the means as suggested by the State government in its recent communication to the centre,” he said pointing to the Legislative cure by amending the Goa Abolition Act.
The Association maintained that 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.
The Association claim that in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, the tourism sector which is one of Goa’s biggest revenue-earner and employment generator has totally stopped.
“Considering the nature of the pandemic, the tourism industry in the State is unlikely to pick-up for at least 12-15 months, resulting in widespread job loss and loss to State revenue during this period,” it said.
The Association said that the mining industry in the State due to its unique characteristics of being self-reliant in terms of local employees and machinery among others is best placed to step into this vacuum and give much needed relief to the State Exchequer.
“The present COVID-19 pandemic has created a greater challenge for the State of Goa which was already staring at an economic downturn due to abrupt stoppage of mining activities from March 16, 2018,” it said.
