Panaji | Dec 16, 2015: Chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday warned protesting mining truck owners not to force the state government to use police force to restart iron ore transportation in Goa. There's a tussle going on between mining truck owners and mining companies over rates for transportating iron ore. This stoppage in iron ore exports from Goa is also causing a loss of revenue to the state.
Parsekar said that mining truck owners should not forget that they were kept afloat during the mining ban in Goa through aid provided to them from the taxpayers' money. He said that it is now time for the mining truck owners to think of the state's welfare.
"The aid provided to mining truck owners during the mining ban was not from the chief minister's pocket. The truck owners should be conscious of that fact. The aid paid to them was from the taxpayers' money, that too at a time when the state government was going through tough times, financially. The truck owners should not be selfish now and it is time they thought of the collective welfare of the state. It is my request to the truck owners as Goa's economy is dependent on the iron ore exports," Parsekar said on Tuesday.
The chief minister said that as more mines will become operational eventually in the state, the mining truck owners' profits will improve accordingly. "The stance that they will just not run the trucks is not correct. Those who feel it is feasible for them to operate their trucks should start transporting the ore," Parsekar said.
He said that many of the truck owners have been able to pay back the loans on their vehicles, based on the assistance provided by the state government during the mining ban. The chief minister said that allegations levelled by some truck owners against the state government, in the heat of the ongoing row, are completely unfair.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)
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