People hit by mining closure in Goa vow to intensify protest

As iron ore mining in Goa continues to remain stalled, people dependent on the key sector are stepping up their protest to press for their demand for resumption of operations.

The mining-affected people are launching an indefinite sit-in protest and plan to take out a march to the Goa assembly during its upcoming monsoon session.

Mining operations in the coastal state came to a halt on March 16 after the Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases. The state government is yet to file a petition for review of the ruling which has affected a large number of people in Goa.

The Goa Mining People's Front (GMPF), an umbrella organisation of those dependent on the industry, today held a sit-in protest here to demand resumption of operations.

GMPF president Puti Gaonkar said the sit-in protest will be held at five places, including Panaji, from tomorrow.

"We will hold sit-in protest at Panaji, Bicholim, Sankhalim, Dharbandora and Sanvordem under the banner of GMPF. It would continue till our demands are met. It will be indefinite," Gaonkar said.

The GMPF has been demanding that the Union government promulgate an ordinance to pave the way for resumption of mining, a mainstay of Goa's economy.

According to an estimate, around three lakh people are directly or indirectly dependent for their livelihood on the sector, a key source of revenue for the state government.

Gaonkar said the mining dependents are "upset and distressed" with the conduct of the BJP-led government over the issue.

"We have decided to take out a massive march to the state assembly when the monsoon session begins. We will sit in front of the assembly complex and leave only when our demands are met," he maintained.

The schedule of the Goa assembly's monsoon session is yet to be announced.

Gaonkar said the affected people will also undertake a house-to-house awareness campaign to highlight the state government's "failure" to resolve the issue.

"We have wasted a lot of time trusting the state government. They had given us a deadline of June 7 to solve the issue. That deadline has passed. At least now the government should do something."