PANAJI: Hundreds of mining dependent people gathered at Azad Maidan , Panaji, on Wednesday to protest the imminent cessation of mining activity in the state owing to the Supreme Court ruling, and to demand that mining be continued.While the peaceful demonstration wound up by afternoon, protesters said they would aggressively agitate on March 16 if mining was banned in Goa.“We want to appeal to the assembly to pass a resolution regarding the closure of mining. We want to know the opinions put forth by the leaders. This strike will continue till mining activity is on. We may not assemble for a protest everyday, but we will be protesting in our own right. If our issues remain unresolved, we will observe a violent protest on March 16,” Nikant Jairam Gawas, president of the All-Goa Mining Truck Owners’ Association, said.Protesters also demanded the presence of all MLAs at the venue of the rally, failing which they threatened to march to the secretariat where the state assembly is in session. Though not all, many legislators did appear at the protest venue as a show of support to those who will be afflicted by the mining ban.“Chief minister Manohar Parrikar , MP Narendra Sawaikar and I were supposed to meet on February 14 to discuss the issue, but since the CM took ill, we could not do so. We will try to take this issue up once again after the CM recovers and returns to the state,” Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar, said.MLAs Pratapsingh Rane, Luizinho Faleiro and Subhash Shirodkar had recently highlighted the issue in a calling attention motion at the assembly.“Mining and tourism are two important components of Goa’s economy. A large number of people are totally dependent on these sectors. There is no other option but to restart mining or it could adversely deteriorate the unemployment scenario in Goa. I request the government to reconsider their decision in this regard,” senior Congress MLA Pratapsingh Rane, said.Taking precautions for the possibility of another protest on March 16, Panaji PI Sidhant Shirodkar said that nearly 300 police personnel will be deployed at the venue on the given day.“We will make the necessary arrangements and tackle them. There won’t be any emergency situation.” Shirodkar assured.

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