Team Herald
PANJIM: Despite the District Magistrate imposing Section 144 of the CrPC, thousands of mining dependents are expected to descend upon the State capital on Monday morning to protest the closure of mines and demand restarting of operations in the State at the earliest. However, the mining dependents have assured that no students answering HSSC exams shall be inconvenienced.
As the protest is expected to be huge, the Goa Police on the other hand is gearing up to handle any untoward incident.
The decision to protest was taken by the executive committees of All Goa Truck Owners’ Association, North Goa Truck Owners’ Association, South Goa Truck Owners’ Association, All Goa Machine Owners’ Association, Sesa Goa Employees’ Union and local representatives of mining dependents on Friday.
The mining dependants will take out a rally on Monday in the state capital and hold a public meeting at Azad Maidan in Panjim at around 8.30 am.
Most speakers emphasised that no positive action from the government will emerge, unless the dependants protest.
“We are firm on the protest, maybe any section be imposed. We have planned a massive protest in State’s capital on March 19 to show the strength of mining dependent people and highlight the problems we are facing due to the ban on mining,” All Goa Truck Owners’ Association president Nilkant Gawas said.
He said, “We are aware that students will be answering their HSSC exams tomorrow (Monday) but we all assure that no student shall be taken to task and will neither face inconvenience.”
Stating that Goan politicians have not understood the seriousness of the mining shutdown, Gawas said that more than two lakh people are staring at joblessness.
“If our MLAs are concerned about our issue, then, they should assure us that they will restart the mining activities at the earliest. Since the BJP is in power both in the State and at the Centre, they can restart the mining at the earliest,” he said.
Sesa Goa Employees’ Union president Devanand Parab stated that all 6,000 members of the union will support the protest and will be present in Panjim on Monday.
“The time has come to show our unity. We have to bring to the attention of the government and the Supreme Court our sufferings due to the mining ban. We will not leave the Azad Maidan till our demands are fulfilled. If needed, we will protest for 15 days till the government makes provision and restarts mining,” he said.
North Goa Superintendent of Police Chandana Chowdhary said Goa Police is fully prepared to handle the protesters. She said that six platoons of IRB will be deployed and also an additional reserve force.
“In addition to that, district staff will be mobilised in Panjim, we have made complete arrangements for security. Anyways we are fully prepared,” she said.
