Don't have hope on BJP to solve Goa mining impasse: GMPF

Panaji: A day after BJP chief Amit Shah said his party would try its best to find a solution to the mining impasse in Goa, an organisation comprising those dependent on the sector Sunday said they did not have much hope from the ruling party.

Shah made his one-line mention of the state's mining woes while addressing BJP workers at 'Atal Booth Karyakarta Sammelan' here on Saturday."We will make all possible efforts to resume mining
which has stopped in Goa," Shah had said Saturday.

The mining sector in the state came to a standstill in March last year after a Supreme Court order quashed 88 leases and banned the extraction of iron ore. Reacting to the BJP chief's statement, Puti Gaonkar of the Goa Mining People's Front said, "We don't have much hope from BJP now after Amit Shah's action of dodging the mining issue during his Goa visit."

"The way Amit Shah addressed the issue in only one sentence clearly indicates they are not serious about such a major problem," Gaonkar told media.He said the GMPF had called for a public meeting in Usgao village in north Goa on February 14 to decide on the future course of action for the mining sector's resumption.

A shutdown would also be observed by the GMPF in the mining belt on February 28, Goankar added. Bicholim, Quepem, Sanguem and Dharbandora talukas comprise the mining belt in the state.

(With inputs from PTI)