Shut all mines & book all illegal miners, demand citizens
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 10 September 2012 23:51 IST
Dr Claude Alvares, Ramesh Gawas & Rajendra Kerkar
Alert citizens of Goa have demanded that all illegal mining leases be immediately cancelled and Rs 35,000 crore be recovered from the mining thieves.
A meeting, attended by hundreds of citizens from cross sections of the society, also warned the central and state governments – incidentally ruled by the Congress and the BJP consecutively – not to play political gimmicks.
A resolution, read by social activist Dr Oscar Rebello in this regard, stated that “we urge the government to forthwith stop giving new leases and we demand that all illegal mining leases, especially those encroaching on forest land, be immediately cancelled.”
While the meeting convened at Hotel Manoshanti got concluded, the government issued a notification suspending operations of all the 90 mines in the state.
The meeting also demanded in once voice that all the culprits, however powerful they may be, be booked without fear or favour in the interest of Goa and Goans.
While demanding cent per cent implementation of all the recommendations of the Shah Commission report, the meeting also urged to kickstart alternate economic activities by recovering Rs 35,000, which have been robbed from Goans.
The citizens however expressed concern over the plight of the truck owners and barge owners, who would be affected due to closure of mines while suggesting that the money recovered from the mine owners be utilized for their welfare.
Ramesh Gawas, a social activist fighting a lone battle against illegal mining all these years, said that the estimated cost of the iron ore extracted illegally is six times more than the budget of Goa.
“It could very well take care of the people to be displaced due to stoppage of illegal mining activity”, he said, while emphasizing that not a single mine in Goa operates legally; a point also made by the Shah Commission in its report.
Dr Claude Alvares of Goa Foundation narrated two examples to state how Manohar Parrikar’s BJP government is toeing the line of Digambar Kamat’s Congress government to support the mining lobby.
Rajendra Kerkar, an environmentalist, pointed out that neither the Congress government nor the BJP government was in favour of declaring Mhadei wild life sanctuary as tiger reserve since it would lead to closure of several mines.
Mining lobby is so strong with money power that they will try to destabilize parrikar government. They will buy the elected representatives from the present BJP GOVERNMENTwith the ill gotten wealth. Alemao, Colemao, Digu, Dinar, will supply as much cash as possible to throw Parrikar out in order to stay out of jail. Otherwise, jail is the only place for these people to rott till they die.
Since Joaquim Alemao`s smuggling days are over and since his Political days are over, and since looting is nearly over too, will his Mining days be over too.?
After Digamber Kamat, most Goans are looking for the Alemao bros. to be next on the "chopping block".
Lets go with what you have on hand. Shah commission report was due long back but it was delayed by Sonia Gandhi so that the result of the elections want effect because she taught goans as usual sucegad and they can be taken for granted.
Everybody in Goa and at the Centre new how the mines are operated. Before it was ok all mines were legal as the share of loot was going in the coffers of Congress party, concerned ministers besides private account of Sonia. Now the Govt is of BJP there is no chance of getting the share of loot. so from the centre she decides to suspend all the clearances given by the same UPA govt and followed by the congress govt till March. Goan people have taught Congress/NCP a good lesson at the state level elections now it is time they they should be thrown out at the Centre. my only hope TMC, SP, BSP withdraw the support so that the elections are held atleast by 2013 before it is too late. They have suspended environment license for the mines in Goa but at the centre they do not want to cancel the illegal allotment of coal blocks. Ms Natrajan want to show she is doing a good job, her fate will also turn out like what has happened to previous spokesman Mr Singhvi. I hope Mr Parriker will try and clean up all the mess in the mining Industry i know it is not as simple as we think. All previous CM's, ministers and other people involved should be jailed and all the loot should be recovered from them.