Panaji, Oct 14 (IANS): The Goa Mining People's Front (GMPF), a collective body of workers and truck and barge operators dependent on the now-banned iron ore mining industry, on Wednesday said that lack of political will to restart mining in the state had led to continuous distress among the unemployed workforce and allied businesses hit by non-resumption of the sector.

"We are told by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant every time that mining would start within three months. It's been more than 30 months of hard times that the people dependent on mining have been facing since the mining closure in March 2018," GMPF President Puti Gaonkar told reporters at a press conference in Panaji on Wednesday.

"We are given to understand that the BJP-led governments at the state and the Centre want to resume mining in Goa. It is lack of political will by the state and central governments to arrive at a firm decision for resumption of mining in Goa," Gaonkar said.

This statement by Gaonkar comes a day after the Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed transportation of already extracted iron ore, for which royalty has been paid, from mining leases to loading points while disposing off a petition filed by a mining company. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the SC order will allow the lifting of nearly four million tons of royalty-paid iron ore and restart the mining sector to some extent.

But Gaonkar on Wednesday said the ban on the mining industry which apart from transportation of iron ore also comprises another key labour-intensive activity, the extraction of iron ore, was causing distress to people dependent on the sector for livelihood.

"Our livelihood cannot wait endlessly as our savings are reduced and even the basic amenities to our family, including children's education, have become a burden... If mining in Goa is not resumed by the coming season (November to May), there will be serious problems for the people dependent on mining," Gaonkar added.

Mining was also banned by the apex court in 2012 following the unearthing of a Rs 35,000-crore scam by a judicial commission appointed by the Central government. But it was resumed in 2015 with restrictions before it was banned again in 2018.

When the mining industry was at its peak, mining extraction, trade and export accounted for 30 per cent of the state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).