Panaji, Mar 16 (IANS): An umbrella body of a collective of unemployed mining industry dependants on Tuesday charged the BJP-led government in the state as well as the Centre of not doing enough to restart the beleaguered mining industry in the state, which has been non functional since 2018, following a Supreme Court directive.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Goa Mining People's Front, which comprises of unemployed mining company workers and owners of allied businesses linked to the industry, has also said that it was exactly three years after the mining industry shut down in Goa and there was dire need to resume mining operations in the interest of "three lakh livelihoods" which were dependent on the industry for their survival.

"Neither is the central government doing anything in this matter to take up a legislative route nor is the state government able to persuade the central government," convenor of the Front Puti Gaonkar said in a statement on Tuesday. The legislative route mentioned by Gaonkar, refers to legislative changes to existing central mining laws which Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has advocated to get the industry back on track in the coastal state.

"What amazes us the most is, while the same political party is ruling at both the Centre and State, why has the state government not been able to convince the government at Centre to make the necessary legislative amends for the sake of Goa's socio-economic development," Gaonkar also said.

Mining activity in Goa was banned by the apex court first in 2012, following the unearthing of a Rs. 35,000 crore scam by a judicial commission appointed by the central government. But was resumed in 2015 with restrictions, before it stopped again after the apex court found irregularities in renewal of 88 mining leases and stopped all ore extraction activity from March 2018.