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Save Goa from the mining lobby

Pravin Sabnis
Our mountains are being denuded and raped by mining. Yet, politicians and mine owners who have a vested interest in destroying Goa are complaining about the increase in taxes in the recent budget… What is appalling is that, a few journalists and editors have begun to crawl when asked to bend by their Mine-owner bosses. They are predicting *doom* if the mining lobby is touched by taxes.

It is very interesting to note that:

1. The hue and cry is mainly to avoid scrutiny of actual exports and "real" income. Why the huge DISPARITY in figures. Concealing income is against the law of the land.

2. The GCCI and other advocates of fiscal reforms have always recommended that subsidies for the poor) have to go. How do they justify the DOUBLE STANDARDS when it comes to imposing appropriate taxes for the rich?

3. The "philanthropy" done by the mine-owners cannot be an excuse for cheating the exchequer. They are no different from the corrupt politician or muscle flexing goon who ROB you first and throw some crumbs to show that they are doing "social service".

4. Employees at mining locations and local villagers are EXPLOITED! Saleli is no exception; it is the tip of the iceberg.

5. As per regulation mining is to be shown on the surface utilization map of the regional plan, BUT in the RP2011, the Mining Map has been kept out of public eye in a separate document…. The reason for this deceit is to conceal the devious proposal to increase the new mining areas to FOUR TIMES the size of existing areas, that too in NOTIFIED FORESTS and PROTECTED WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES (a clear illegality).

The cunning and treachery of those who in the name of developing Goa are denuding and causing irrevocable ecological damage in the forests of Western Ghats has to be opposed...

Spare not those who are ruining the ecology, cheating the economy and exploiting the poor…

People Speak

Save Goa from the mining lobby

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