Panaji: The people dependent on the mining industry have said that their hopes of resumption of the industry are now high with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar returning to the State.
Parrikar, 62, is scheduled to arrive back in Goa tonight after his three-month-long stay in the USA where he had been to treat his pancreatic ailment.
“Now with the return of the chief minister, at least, people feel that the solution for the mining crisis would be worked out. All these months, the government was without its head and three member Cabinet Advisory Committee could not provide the solution for mining crisis,” said Puti Gaonkar, President, Goa Mining People’s Front, an umbrella organization of the people affected with the closure of mining industry in Goa.
Gaonkar said “in absence of any decision maker in the State government, the issue could not be solved and it was kept pending.”
“Now the decision maker is going to return and he should solve the issue as soon as possible as people are suffering,” he said.
Gaonkar said the aggrieved mining dependents have also decided to try to meet Parrikar and brief him about the ground realities in the mining belt. “Those who are affected with the closure of mining industry will certainly try to meet CM as soon as possible. We are trying to get his formal appointment. He was away from India and might not know how people are suffering since the closure of mining industry,” he commented.
Irrespective of the chief minister’s arrival in the State, Gaonkar said that the mining dependents would continue their protests at various places in the State.
“The protests will continue till we get the solution for the crisis,” he said.
Goa Mining People’s Front has begun indefinite sit-in protest at five different places in the State including at Azad Maidan in Panaji. They have warned to march to the State Legislative Assembly on the first day of the session, if their demand is not met.
