Goa BJP leaders meet Shah in Delhi, push for restart of mining

A delegation of BJP leaders from Goa Friday met party president Amit Shah and Union Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi and pushed for early resumption of iron ore mining in the coastal state.

Two BJP Members of Parliament Vinay Tendulkar (Rajya Sabha) and Narendra Sawaikar (Lok Sabha MP from South Goa) - along with Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant met Shah in Delhi.

"We had a meeting with our national president for almost 20 minutes during which the issue of resumption of mining was discussed," Sawant told PTI talking over the phone from the national capital.

A Group of Ministers is looking into Goa's mining issue.

Sawant, quoting Shah, said he has requested the members of the group to take up the issue during the next session of Parliament.

The delegation also met Tomar and demanded resumption of mining activity, a key source of revenue for the government and also livelihood for lakhs of people in the tourist state.

The mining industry in Goa came to a standstill after the Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases in February this year.

Following this, the state government, with support from all parties in the Assembly, had requested the Centre to issue an ordinance in order to restart mining in the state.

The Goa Mining People's Front, an umbrella outfit of those dependent on the sector, has launched an agitation to demand immediate restart of mining activity.