NT NETWORK
Panaji
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will chair a crucial meeting next week, which will be attended by Chief Secretary Parimal Rai, Advocate General Devidas Pangam and representatives of the Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF), a collective of workers, truck owners and barge operators, to discuss ways to find out a solution for resumption of full-fledged iron ore mining activity in the state.
Sawant Friday met GMPF president Puti Gaonkar and representatives of barge owners and other stakeholders at his official residence in Panaji.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sawant said he heard the delegation of GMPF and discussed their grievances vis-à-vis the issue of resumption of the iron ore mining industry.
“Goa Mining People’s Front and other stakeholders met me. They have come up with suggestions to restart mining in the state. Let us see what can be done for resumption of mining activities in Goa,” he said.
The Chief Minister informed that he will hold a meeting with the Chief Secretary, the Advocate General and GMPF members next week to find out ways for resuming mining.
Gaonkar said GMPF has told the Chief Minister that the government must come out with a solution for resumption of mining activity from the upcoming season onwards beginning in November. “We have suggested various legal ways for resuming the mining industry. It is up to the state and
central governments to ensure that full-fledged mining activities are resumed from the upcoming season,” he said.
Gaonkar said the Chief Minister has assured him that he will convene another round of meeting in the next four days in the presence of the Chief Secretary, the Advocate General and other officials concerned.
The Supreme Court had on Tuesday allowed transportation of the already extracted iron ore for which royalty has already been paid, from the mining leases to the loading points. The apex court was disposing of a petition filed by a mining firm. However, the mining dependants are demanding full-scale resumption of mining activity from November.
