Panaji: Before marching to Jantar Mantar at New Delhi, over thousands of mining dependents will gather at Azad Maidan on December 4 to chalk out strategy to mount pressure on Central government for immediate resumption of the mining industry, which is closed since March.
‘Goa Mining People’s Front’ (GMPF), an umbrella organization of mining dependents will hold three day long sit in protest at Jantar Mantar on December 11, 12 and 13, which are first three days of the Parliament session.
GMPF, during their sit in protest, will be pressing for amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR) 2015 and Goa, Daman and Diu Mining Concessions (Abolition and Declaration as Mining Leases) Act, 1987, that will help extending life of leases till 2037.
Around1000, people will be participating in the dharna along with leaders from various political parties like BJP, Goa Forward Party, MGP, Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena. The first batch of 500 workers will be leaving for Delhi in the first week of December.
GMPF leader Puti Gaonkar said that to decide the action plan, a public meeting is called at Azad Maidan on December 4, which will be attended by around 2000-3000 people from the mining belt. “The action plan for Jantar Mantar will be decided during the meeting,” he said.
Meanwhile, workers of Vedanta Ltd met the GMPF leaders at Azad Maidan, where they expressed fear of retrenchment by the company if mining industry fails to re-start by December 31. They said that Vedanta has so far not retrenched any worker despite the ban imposed in March.
