Parrikar hostage to mining lobby: AAP

PTI, PANAJI | 16 June 2014 19:43 IST

File photo of Remo Fernandes, Oscar Rebello & Dinesh Waghela

Alleging that Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was “hostage” to the mining lobby in the state, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has reiterated its demand to set up a corporation for this industry.

“AAP Goa reiterates the urgency of its previous demand of setting up a mining corporation in Goa to release our natural resources from the grip of the private mining companies and rejuvenate the economy and ecology of Goa,” Goa unit of AAP  said in a statement released here yesterday.

AAP has appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement he made during his Goa visit last week, about not limiting the mining adventures simply to extract precious natural resources and bolster the economy of other countries to which they get exported, but to convert iron ore to steel and other finished products that will generate jobs and boost the local economy.

“This message should be heard loud and clear by all those mining companies preparing to be active again in Goa, and strictly enforced by the Goa CM, who sadly appears to still be hostage to this rapacious lobby despite the bitter lesson learnt through ban on mining activities for the past two years,” the statement reads.

AAP has welcomed Modi’s statement that tough stand needs to be taken to revive country’s economy.

“This appears to be aimed at preparing the country for higher taxes and less subsidies and generally more austere spending by the central government.

“While AAP Goa understands that some such steps may be necessary, we sincerely hope that the said bitter medicine  would not be administered to the already ailing aam aadmi, and hope that the corporate sector would also be shouldering its fair share of such burden,” it said.

AAP Goa has also exhorted the PM to take further steps that go beyond just words to recover black money, eliminate corruption, and  generally reduce wasteful spending to help relieve the already onerous burden on the common man who is struggling to make ends meet.

BJP Goa spokesman Pramod Sawant told PTI today that the government was confident that after PM’s assurance, the process to resume mining in Goa will start immediately.

“The PM had been informed about the ground realities in the state since the closure of the mining industry. We are sure that the mining activity will resume shortly,” he said.

On AAP’s demand to set up a mining corporation, Sawant, who is also a BJP legislator, said, “Whatever may be the demands of the AAP or anyone else, our concern is that mining should resume on priority and the rest of the aspects can be discussed later.”


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AAP Must Demand To Pass Swaraj Act, So That Mining Income Can Come In The Hands Of Goans. Without Swaraj, AAP Should Not Allow Mining To Start. Without Swaraj, Mining Income Will Not Come In The Hands Of Goans, But Will Go In The Hands Of Few Rich People. Swaraj Is A Must To Start Mining, So That Mining Income Will Come In The Hands Of Whole Village People.

- Jose Rod, Goa | 17 th June 2014 15:03

 

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