Defying prohibitory orders issued by the state government, over one hundred and fifty mine workers in Goa seeking resumption of mining operations in the state under the banner “Goa mining People’s Front” today courted arrest at Azaad Maidan at Panaji in Goa this afternoon. Over one hundred and fifty workers who had assembled at Azaad Maidan in the city were demanding resumption of mining operations in the state.

District Magistrate, North-Goa has prohibited all kinds of protests/rallies/morchas/processions and any kind of assemblage of people within the jurisdiction of Panaji Police Station and within 500 mts around the Assembly complex, Provorim w.e.f. 00.00hrs of November 17, 2012 to 12.00 mid night of November 30, in View of the ongoing 43rdInternational Film Festival of India.

Over two lakh people dependent on mining directly or indirectly were rendered jobless in the state after blanket closure of mining operations following a supreme court order.

An NGO ” Goa Foundation” led by noted environmentalist Claude Alvares had approached the Supreme Court through a public interest litigation urging the apex court to ban all mining operations in the state until a whooping sum of thirty five thousand crore rupees is recovered from mine owners and other stake holders due to illegal mining.

The Shah Commission of enquiry probing into illegal mining in the state had submitted in its report that the state government has suffered a loss of rupees thirty five thousand crores due to illegal mining in the state.