Goa TMC Incharge hits out at Pramod Sawant over unfulfilled promise to resume mining acitivites

All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Goa Incharge Mahua Moitra on Friday hit out at Chief Minister Pramod Sawant over his unfulfilled promise to resume mining activities and said that "it has been three years but mining has not been resumed in the state".

Addressing the press conference today, Moitra said, "When Sawant took over as the Chief Minister of Goa, he said that he will get mining started in three months. It has been three years and mining has not resumed in Goa."

Citing a letter from the Office of the Deputy Regional Director of Maharashtra, Moitra said, "The letter clearly shows that Pramod Sawant, as the Chief Minister of Goa, got a mine on his name in Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra. But the big question is, where did he get the money to lease a mine if he was an Ayurvedic doctor with the government?"

Further, Moitra also demanded a CBI and ED probe into the source of funds used by Sawant to secure the mine. "I would also like the Prime Minister to order a disproportionate assets inquiry against Pramod Sawant."

She also raised concerns over the issue of Mhadei water diversion to Karnataka. "Karnataka got a paltry 7.5 thousand million cubic feet of water diverted. Sawant upon becoming the chief minister immediately notified this award and Karnataka started getting water much more than they were supposed to."

"Karnataka senior leaders even came to Delhi and said, we have done a deal with Sawant, there is no problem. There was a hue and cry in the State Assembly and it was asked as to how a NOC (No Objection Certificate) can be given when an SLP (Special Leave Petition) is pending before the Supreme Court," she added.

"Sawant then came on record to say that the lawyers did this without asking the Government. But later, the then AOR and senior counsel Arvind Datar held a press conference and said that Goa officials asked us to give the NOC to Karnataka," she said.

Alleging that the chief minister had acted against the interest of Goans, she said, "Despite winning, most of the water of the basin has been diverted to Karnataka and Goa has been burning. Today, people of Goa are not getting their due share because Sawant struck a deal with Karnataka."

"Goa TMC will bring to the forefront issues that are pertinent to Goa and we will continue to ask questions of this government," Moitra added.

( With inputs from ANI )

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