Treat mining industry with respect: CM

PTI, PANAJI | 09 November 2012 23:39 IST

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said the mining industry should be treated with respect as it has generated employment and revenue for the State.

Parrikar made this statement in a conference organised by the British Business Group (BBG) in Goa.

He appealed that the industry should not be looked upon as a “villain”.

“Today mining industry stands at the topmost level in the villain category, irrespective of the fact that industry has generated wealth for the State, employment opportunities and other forms of work,” the CM said.

The mining industry in Goa is in crisis due to the halt ordered in extraction and transportation of ore by the Supreme Court pending a report from the Centrally Empowered Committee (CEC).

Clarifying his stand, Parrikar said, “I am not supporting this sector or an industry which has damaged the environment but I feel that this industry needs to be treated with respect.”

“If we don’t want any kind of industry, then the people should say that in advance and not after the industry has been set up,” he pointed out.


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How can daylight thieves be treated with respect.?

Even some of the truckers were dirty theives.

Mr Parrikar seems to becoming nonsensical day by day.

- N.Fernandes, UK | 17 th November 2012 20:27

 

Do they have self respect?

It will not be soo easy task for Parrikar. BJPs MLAs at present also have deep roots in Minings (they say it is legal).Its not only the illegal minings at the cost of nature and state exchequere but the people there lives in a dusty environment..they eat, sleep and drink dust. I can't see any government vehicle collecting the air samples to check out the dust pollution levels. I do not understant what exactly the Goa State Pollution Control board doing. Is there any assessment done by the government on the health effects due to the dust pollution in the mining areas?.Though people are dependent on minings, there is no direct employement to them. This has resluted in buying trucks at large scale. More then 90% of the truck owners live a life in dust with their famalies. The average monthly income of the truck owner is very less due to the high maintenance costs, less money per trip from the miners, no guarantee of continuous work, 4-5 months of no work during monsoon, high taxes and permits.The profit margins for the miners are very high compared to low investments. Few mine onwers and contractors have pocketed thousand of crores of rupees over the 50 years at the cost of Goa's nature.

Government should find out how much iron ore has been exported in last 50years and how much money the mining companies has earned.Goans should know this.

Very few mining companies who were close to portuguese regime were granted mining leases and are continued till date. This has to be stopped. Fresh mining auctions has to be done at the current valuations.Government can form a mining authority and take over some of the mines in Goa. In the olden days, Mine companies were concerned about the villagers and their employees. They used to give good salaries and all the facilities to them, but now it is totally changes. Chowgules, Salgaonkar, bandodkar set up colonies for their employees with all the facilities. But, now it is totally changed. There is no direct employment.Income to the villagers only comes from the truck business , which is not guranteed. Goa Mineral Foundation is spending nuts on the pretext of social welfare.Illegal mining can't be justified and the environmental laws cannot be relaxed to benefit the greedy people at the cost of goan land.Mining has destroyed around 20% of Goa and almost 25% of Goa's population is affected due to the mining dust pollution. This has serious implications on the environment and the health of the people. Though mining provides source of income to most of the people, illegal mining cannot be backed. Its not only the question of illegal mines.Even the llegal minings in Goa are doing iron ore transportation in illegal means.The iron ore transportation done through trucks from the source of ore (mine) to the Jetty (the point where ore is loaded into the barge in the river). Its a open fact, that the trucks are overloaded and the ore gets stick to all over the truck body which in turn falls on the road. There is no mechanism to check out the dust pollution and its serious health implications on the people. I wonder if the Goa Pollution Control Board exists or not. Why there are no monitors in place to check the dust pollution? Is there any survey done on health issues related to dust pollution?. Goverment has to tell , Where the royalty (which comes from legal mines) goes? I dont see develOpments done in the mining areas. so where the goverment spends this money?. Mining companies hire smart people to prepare videos and documents to show off that they have a great concern about enviroment and people. There has to be some mandatory provision that some part of the royalty for the development of the villages affected due to the mines. The village panchayats should collect toll from the plying iron ore trucks which should be used to curb the dust pollution menance. There is not even a permanent medical doctor in the villages. We have to travel to Sankhali (13kms) or Ponda (20kms) incase of medical emergency and there are many cases where in people would have survived if they were treated on time.

- Sangam, Goa | 16 th November 2012 11:59

 

Obviously, the mining industry is villain who has destructed the environment of Goa. It is not worthy industry to give or earn any respect. Mining has created wealth to few Goan families. These families could be counted on fingures. These mining families have enxtracted ore beyond their limits and hence it is an illigal act that is called looting. All the excess ore extraction and the Money earned by the mine owners must be collected by the Government. Why Mr. Parrikar is not pursuing this matter? it is strange that, as an opposition leader he was making loud noice against the illigal mining and now once he is CM, he has mellowed down.why is he sympathizing with mine owners? Have they not looted 35,000 crores? Is not the recovery top priority of the Government? Hope the mining ban continues forever and these mining barons taken to task.

- Ratikant, UAE | 11 th November 2012 19:36

 

The classic case example of a famous saying in Marathi नाक दाबल्यावर तोंड उघडले .

Monubbab, you are great and can perhaps compete with the best gymnast in somersaults.

All this while, you relentlessly portrayed miners as villains and accused them of looting Goa.

Now that these same miners offered Babush ( not the goon from Taleigaon, but your classmate from Mapusa ) 200 cr. to defect and bring about the downfall of the government you quickly promoted him as your deputy.

You shed crocodile tears out of fear.

Why don't you treat Ranes, Digu and pompous Viscont de Pernem with respect and dignity? After all they were instrumental in giving a ' boost' to this respectable industry.

Monubaab, नाडेपेन्ना खूब जाली . आतां तरी शांणो जा. You can't fool all the people all the time.

- Gajendra Tari, Ponda Goa | 10 th November 2012 12:00

 

Parrikar you must be ashamed of yourself.

Don't you get to see how much respect the mining industry has for the Govt. environment and future of Goa.

For employment and revenue, isn't it mutual? Take a microscope/telescope whatever scope and look at the wealth your miner friends have accumulate by raping Goa.

Please legalize prostitution, it will generate a lot of revenue and employment, and don't forget to show respect to both the strippers and the johns.

- JayGoa, Goa | 10 th November 2012 02:40

 

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