PANJIM: Thousands of mining dependents are expected to descend upon the State capital on Monday morning to protest the closure of mines and demand early restarting of operations in the State. The protest is expected to be peaceful but Goa Police 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.
“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 that if the issues are not solved the dependents will be forced to hit the streets. Around two lakh people are dependent on mining in Goa.
Sesa Goa Employees Union president Devanand Parab stated that all 6000 members of his union would support the protest and would be present in Panjim on Monday.
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 so to an additional reserve force.
“In addition to that, district staff will be mobilised in Panjim, we have made complete arrangements for security. There are no reports so far of road blocks or any other violence, it should be a peaceful protest. Anyways we are fully prepared,” she said.
