Mining crisis: Goa BJP MLAs, party leaders discuss way out

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Ahead of Union minister Nitin Gadkari's visit to Goa next week, the BJP convened a meeting of its legislators and office-bearers to discuss the way out of the mining crisis, on Saturday.

BJP national general secretary (organisations) B L Santhosh chaired the meeting that was attended by the party legislators and office-bearers at its office in Panaji.

Gadkari is scheduled to visit Goa on March 20 to hold talks with the state government and the stakeholders over the mining crisis.

According to party sources, a detailed discussion was held on the issue during today's meeting.

The five-decade-old mining industry in Goa came to a standstill from yesterday with the Supreme Court ordering a ban on iron ore extraction. The apex court had quashed 88 mining leases in the state, stopping the fresh extraction of ore.

"We are trying to work a way out of the current mining crisis, which has affected lakhs of people in the state. All possible efforts would be made to ensure that the people dependent on the mining industry are not left in the lurch," Assembly Speaker and BJP legislator Pramod Sawant told reporters after the meeting.

Sawant, who represents Sankhalim constituency, which is an iron ore mining belt, said the state and the central governments are leaving no stone unturned to make sure that the mining activities resume soon.

State Panchayat Minister and BJP legislator Mauvin Godinho said all the stakeholders of the mining industry would be heard and only after that the governments will decide the future action.

"We will work out a roadmap," he added.

Godinho said everybody in Goa was aware of the impact of the closure of mining.

"So, every effort is being made by the governments. We want the Centre to intervene and take necessary steps so that mining resumes," he added.