Goa mining dependents seek PM intervention to resume mining without delays

All mining activities in Goa came to a halt with effect from March 15, 2018, after the Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases. "GMPF, which has been at the forefront of the ongoing people's movement to protect livelihood of 3,00,000 Goans in the state, urged the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modiji, for his immediate intervention to prevent a third consecutive year without livelihood opportunities...

The Goa Mining People's Front (GMPF), an umbrella body of mining dependents, on Monday sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with regard to resumption of mining in the state without delays. All mining activities in Goa came to a halt with effect from March 15, 2018, after the Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases.

"GMPF, which has been at the forefront of the ongoing people's movement to protect livelihood of 3,00,000 Goans in the state, urged the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modiji, for his immediate intervention to prevent a third consecutive year without livelihood opportunities... on account mining stoppage," it said. The state government, it said, has itself mentioned on various occasions that the yearly loss on account of mining stoppage amounts to Rs 3,500 crore per year and the cumulative loss faced by the state would stand at a staggering Rs 10,500 crore at the very least.

"Prime Minister and various other national leaders have publicly acknowledged the severe impacts due to stoppage of mining and had assured the relief in the form of immediate resumption of mining in Goa but 3,00,000 Goans are still awaiting positive news on account of mining activities resumption for past 29 months," the statement said. If an immediate solution is not found, the fate of Goans will languish amid a global economic slowdown during a pandemic, the GMPF said. "...one-fifth of Goa’s population is dependent on mining and... we are afraid that a third consecutive year would be lost when we would not be able earn a living and fullfill the basic necessities of their children and family. "We would therefore urge the Prime Minister....to undertake necessary policy reforms as suggested by the Government of Goa to enable mining resumption in the state," GMPF President Puti Gaonkar said.

The economy of the state presently is at its most precarious position due to the total collapse of the tourism sector in the backdrop of the COVID–19 pandemic, he said, adding that the sector is unlikely to recover for the next 18 months. He further said that the mining activity in Goa is inherently dependent upon internal resources and manpower as such is uniquely placed to give the much needed boost to the state economy.