Team Herald
PANJIM: Frustrated over BJP-led coalition government’s act of dragging its feet over resolving the ongoing mining crisis, the Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) has demanded that the ally Goa Forward Party (GFP) should withdraw its support if the State fails to ensure immediate resumption of iron ore activities in the State, which are shut since last eight months.
GMPF led by union leader Puti Gaonkar on Thursday met GFP president and cabinet minister Vijai Sardesai and put forth their demand that they should withdraw their support as the saffron party is least bothered about people’s suffering.
Speaking to Herald post meeting, Gaonkar said that we have demanded that GPF should withdraw its support in solidarity with the mining dependents. “BJP leaders both at State and Centre are least bothered about our suffering. No action is seen towards resumption of mining activities. GFP, which has supported us since the beginning, should withdraw support to such government,” he said.
It may be recalled that GFP had warned not to support the saffron party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections if the government fails to resolve the mining crisis in the State. The GFP had said the BJP will land in “trouble” if the mining activities don’t resume immediately.
Gaonkar pointed out that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar via a letter dated September 24 had urged Union Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to take appropriate steps to bring about necessary amendment to the Provisions of Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act (MMDR) so that mining in the State resumes at the earliest.
He informed that the file pertaining to Goa mining was later referred to the Attorney General of India for legal opinion, who moved it to (then) Additional Solicitor General of India Maninder Singh. “However, Singh resigned from the post without giving opinion on the said file,” he said.
Gaonkar said at present the file has been sent back to the Attorney General.
“The delay is resulting in further contraction of timeliness if the said amendment is required to be brought forward in the upcoming Winter Session of the parliament to provide much needed relief to lakhs of people dependent on mining,” the leader said.
State Government has submitted a proposal to the Centre with a request to amend the Mines and Minerals Development Regulation (MMDR) Act and Goa, Daman and Diu Mining Concessions (Abolition and Declaration as Mining Leases) Act, 1987, for extending the life of leases till 2037.
