PANAJI | Nov 05, 2015: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Wednesday asked the truck owners to start transportation of iron ore as per the rate agreed in e-auction agreement.

Parsekar told the truck owners at a meeting at Porvorim that it would be advisable for them to resume ore transportation with notified rates as there has been drop in international iron ore prices.

The meeting was attended by BJP legislators Dr Pramod Sawant, Subhash Faldesai, Nilesh Cabral, assistant mines director Parag Nagarsekar, transport director Sunil Masurkar and members of All-Goa Truck Owners Association.

The meeting was held in the light of truckers agitating over rates in iron ore transportation for several days.

“The government has succeeded in resuming the mining in Goa after three years… Truckers should not agitate at this moment by demanding increase in rate for iron ore transportation as international market has been in slump,” Parsekar said after the meeting.

However, he said the government would consider their demand when mining resumes in full swing and international market improves.

Sources said that during the meeting truckers were divided on transportation rate: North Goa truckers are not ready to heed Parsekar’s advice, while South Goa truck owners are ready to resume the iron ore transportation on the notified rates.

(Source: http://www.navhindtimes.in/)