Panaji: A joint meeting of ministers, legislators representing the state’s
mining belt and senior officers attached to the ministry of mines and geology, has been called on Thursday to decide the course of action in the mining issue.
The all party meeting will be chaired by PWD minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar. Earlier in the day, Dhavalikar had a meeting with the chief minister Manohar Parrikar in GMC hospital where various issues pertaining to the government functioning were discussed, sources said.
A delegation is likely to visit New Delhi to meet Union minister for road transport, highways, shipping and water resources, Nitin Gadkari, on March 5. Gadkari is also the in-charge of BJP’s Goa desk.
Goa’s mining activities are slated to come to a standstill from March 15 following the recent Supreme Court directive to the state government to shut down all activities. Ever since, the mining industry has been trying to grapple with the bitter reality it will have to face in the wake of this development.
A senior minister said the meeting has been called to thrash out the issue, and decide on the line of action to be taken in view of the apex court’s order. Last week, MLAs were of the view that the government should find a solution to the mining crisis so that the mining operations do not remain shut post-March 15.
The Supreme Court had directed the government to cancel the renewal of 88 mining leases.
Addressing a press conference two weeks ago, Parrikar had exuded confidence that his government would overcome the hurdle. He had also reiterated that Goa shouldn’t depend on any one industry.
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