Nandkumar Kamat wrote on 22nd June: Canada has long term plans to take over mines in India through its powerful MNCs and the grounds are being prepared slowly? Response: Let us keep aside India and talk of Goa first. Canadians can take over Goan mines only if existing mine owners give them to Canadians, at a price. 95% of Goan mines are in the possession/command of only ten: Nine families of Chougule, Salgaokar, Timblo, Tarcar, Bandekar, Bandodkar, Velingkar, Agarwal and Mangalji and a 83% foreign owned SESA. Nandkumar could write to these ten, appeal them in media, take delegation to them urging them not to pass on the control to Canadians. Simultaneously, he could write to Mines minister and appeal through media to pass resolution in the cabinet and legislation in Assembly denying such transfer. If CM does not respond and dodges (as he is doing to GBA for last three years), Nandkumar as an activist knows what to do? All NGOs and Goans are certainly available to Nandkumar for doing so. This is all fine. But why divert attention from the problems and nuisances created by our own miners? The hypothetical Canadian problem is only in imagination and manageable as above. The Sand mining issue which is only a Rs 80 crore business (not Rs 1000 crore mentioned by Nandkumar on 12th June) is another diversion from iron ore miner’s nuisance and illegalities. Arundhati and Naxalites is the third diversion from the rape of forest, agriculture, rivers and mountains our own Goan miners commit from Caurem, Colomba thro’ Pissurlem, Advalpal to Sirigao. I have already given Nandkumar thro' three e-mails the facts, figures and analysis to substanciate the gravity of mining nuisance. WHY DIVERT FROM BIGGEST NUISANCE GOA IS FACING? Rajendra Kakodkar
