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Thomas Abraham The ban on mining activity in Goa imposed by the Supreme Court came into effect on Friday.
All stakeholders in the industry are worried, and the government is faced with a tricky situation with a three-member committee of ministers looking after the affairs of the State in the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is in the US for medical treatment.
Miners’ plea
Identical representations to the Centre and the State government by industry bodies (a copy of which is with BusinessLine ), point out that the sizeable population in Goa involved in mining activity generates an income of over ₹1,000 crore a year for the Centre and the State.
So, when the industry closes down operations, it will result in a 10-12 per cent hit on the State’s GDP, and 1.5-2 lakh people will lose jobs (direct and indirect). While the financial condition of the people involved in mining will be hit badly, banks too will see a piling up of non-performing assets, it said.
Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral (BJP) was very forthright in his remarks. “It is not the government that will suffer from this ban, it will be the the people at the grassroots. Goa is different from other places in the country with regard to mining. There have been various judgements of the Supreme Court in this regard. Parliament passed the Goa Daman and Diu Mining Concession (Abolition and Declaration as Mining Leases) Act in 1987. It is important to understand this.”
But Cabral said he is not against auctions. “If the court says there has to be auctions, I am okay with it. But work should go on; that is important. Otherwise, where will these workers go?” Speaking to BusinessLine over the phone, Ambar Timblo, President of the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters’ Association, said: “This ban was not expected, not even remotely, by any of us.”
Truckers in a bind
Truck owners, vital partners to the mining industry, have been rendered jobless overnight. Vinayak Gauns, Deputy Sarpanch of Dharbandora taluka and president of Dharbandora Taluka Truck Owners Association, said: “We, the truck-owners, are not at fault. The Supreme Court has taken a one-sided decision in this matter. The Goa government did not defend us properly in the Supreme Court. Around 3,000-4,000 trucks work in the mines in and around Dharbandora. With this ban, 3,000-4,000 families will have no source of income.”
Upwards of 12,000 trucks have been affected by the ban, besides 150 barges and ancillary units.
Gauns too said he is not against auctions. “Conduct the auctions; we are not against it. But let the work continue. People like us, who depend on the income from trucking activity in these mines, should not be punished for no fault of ours.”
He sees the ban having political ramifications.
On the way forward, Timblo said: “We are evaluating the options, keeping in mind the various statutes and judgements of the Supreme Court.”
Shamba Gauns, Deputy Sarpanch of Pale Cotombi, shared his anguish: “Since 1976, our family has been in this business of working on tippers. Earlier, we were farmers. In total, our family has 35 tippers, of which I have 15.
“This ban has brought everything to a grinding halt. I took loans to buy these tippers, and pay EMIs amounting to ₹2.75 lakh. Now, how will I pay it back? We are honest workers. I am not Nirav Modi; I can’t run away from India. But the banks will catch us now for bounced cheques.”
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