A day after taking oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha, TMC national vice president, Luizinho Faleiro raised the issue of mining in the house. Reacting to this, Puti Gaonkar mining activist and AAP leader requested to take written assurance from the central government over resumption of mining in the state.
While addressing media on Wednesday Gaonkar said, “a day after taking oath as a member of the rajya sabha TMC National vice president Luizinho Faleiro in his maiden speech made during the zero hour in the house raised the issue of mining. Stating that mining sector was the backbone of Goa’s economy, urged immediate recovery of 35,000 crore lost due to illegal mining in the state”.
“I congratulate him on bringing the issue up in the Rajya Sabha. However, I am concerned that he did not mention anything about the three lakh people who are reliant on mining. He even didn’t ask when the government will resume mining”, he added.
He further said, “I urge Luizinho Faleiro to take up this issue again in the house and take written assurance from the government on the resumption of mining”.
Faleiro also mentioned about 35,000 crore lost due to illegal mining in the state. Speaking on this he said, “in many states extraction of natural resources takes place but I have never seen the government giving money earned on the extraction to the public. Even in West Bengal, which is rich in natural resources, I haven’t seen TMC giving money to the public. So it’s like a Modi promise, who assured he would put a certain amount into the banks during Covid times”.
