Cong slams Goa govt on mining, CM says only BJP can fix issue

Even as opposition Congress Sunday lashed out at ruling BJP in Goa over its "failure" to resume mining operations in the state, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said only the government led by his party (BJP) could resolve the issue.

Goa Congress spokesperson Yatish Naik, while addressing a press conference in Panaji, accused the BJP of creating problems for the mining industry, which came to a standstill in March last year and continues to remain so.

Naik said the ruling party has been promising to bring a solution to the mining crisis since 2014.

"The BJP has been assuring to resume the mining operations, and have repeated its promise even in the manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha election," he said.

Sawant, while addressing a rally, made an emotional appeal to the mining dependents saying he knows the pain of people working in this industry, as his own father was one amongst them.

"I know how the people dependent on mining industry suffer when there is lay-off or disturbance to the industry. I represent the Assembly constituency which has mining as major economic activity," Sawant told BJP workers in Sanguem assembly constituency while campaigning for party's South Goa Lok Sabha candidate Narendra Sawaikar.

South Goa has a sizable number of mining dependents, who are now jobless due to the closure of the industry.

"I know the pain of the people because I belong to the family of mining dependents. My father was a machine operator at Chowgule Industries (a mining firm)," he said.

"I can very well understand what difficulties are faced by people dependent on this industry, when it is shut down. Give me some days to provide solution. We will find out the solution. I assure the people dependent on mining industry that only the BJP government can resolve this issue," he said.

The mining dependents under the banner of Goa Mining People's Front have been agitating demanding resumption of the industry.