TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
BICHOLIM: The Goa Mining Peoples’ Front (GMPF) on Friday asked the State government to issue a notification to immediately withdraw suspension of all the legal mines.
The GMPF carried out a rally from Usgao-Tisk to Bicholim, in which hundreds of mine dependents participated. The rally carrying a torch began at 8 am from Usgao and the people walked from Pale, Navelim, Velgaum, Surla, Honda, Sanquelim and reached Bicholim at 5.30 pm. Later, a public meeting was held at Shivaji Maharaj Maidan.
The GMPF put forth nine demands warning that they will intensify their agitation and may also resort to Goa Bandh if their demands are not met.
Speaking on the occasion, union leader Adv Rajiv Kolwalkar came down heavily on the government for giving false assurances.
“Neither the Centre nor the State government put forth our grievances before the Supreme Court. They are just giving us assurances. Before talking to us, the chief minister should come out with notification to withdraw suspension of all legal mining. This is just the beginning and the government should not play with us,” warned Kolwalkar.
The nine demands put forth by the GMPF include immediate commencement of mining operations in the State on a sustainable and environment-friendly basis. The government appointed committee NEERI should immediately submit its final report to the Supreme Court before March 15 to avoid delay in the judicial process.
The six-member committee appointed by the Supreme Court in which the Principal Secretary to Goa is also a member should immediately submit its final report to the Supreme Court. The Goa government must revoke and withdraw the order dated September 10, 2012, on suspension of mining operations and subsequent orders on North and South Goa collectors banning transportation of ore.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF) should revoke the suspension order for environmental clearances and make the ECs operational. GMPF also demanded complete job security to all mining workers employed in the mining establishments in the State. All companies should desist from resorting to lay-offs, retrenchment and job cuts.
The government should pursue through RBI to restructure and defer the repayment of loans secured from financial institutions and to waive-off the interest as well as penalties, including penalty rate of interest, on the borrowings by the mining related stakeholders. The government should intervene immediately to suitably compensate the distressed truck, barge and machinery operators, workers and other mining dependants adversely affected due to mining ban in Goa. The government should declare all the seven mining dependant talukas in Goa as ‘Mining affected talukas’ and provide wholesome grants to the local bodies whose population has been adversely affected due to the ban on mining.
GMPF also demanded that the Centre and the State government should jointly and effectively represent before the SC to secure early resumption of mining operations in Goa by ensuring that SC revokes and withdraws its order. It was also resolved to intensify the agitation if their demands are not met.
