Parrikar to meet Modi over Goa mining crisis
Panaji, June 22: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week to resolve the mining crisis in the coastal state which was triggered after the Supreme Court banned mining in all 88 operational mining leases in March.
"The Chief Minister will also hold a joint meeting of all mining concerned MLAs shortly to arrive at a consensus after which the matter will be taken up with the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi," a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office said on Friday, after Parrikar met legislators from the state's mining belt.
Resolving the mining imbroglio is one of the first challenges before Parrikar, who on June 14, returned after a nearly three month absence, during which he was undergoing treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer in a US hospital.
Among the legislators who met the Chief Minister were Speaker Pramod Sawant, Pravin Zantye, Rajesh Patnekar (BJP), Prasad Gaonkar (Independent) and Deepak Pauskar (Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party), where the Chief Minister discussed ways and means in which mining can be resumed in Goa.
The mining issue has been hanging fire in Goa ever since the Supreme Court banned extraction and transportation of iron ore from 88 mining leases from March this year, while also directing the state government to re-issue mining leases.
This is the second time in less than a decade that all mining in the state has come to a standstill after it was banned in 2012.
The ban was later lifted by the apex court in 2014, but it was forced to impose the fresh restrictions while castigating the state government for messing up the lease renewal process.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
First-ever life-size Vivekananda statue in US unveiled in Seattle
_vb_02.jpeg)
New York (PTI): The first-ever life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda in the US was unveiled in Seattle, honouring the renowned Indian philosopher and spiritual leader.
The life-size bronze statue, installed at the busy Westlake Square in downtown Seattle, is the first such installation hosted by a city government anywhere in the US, officials said.
Sculpted by Indian artist Naresh Kumar Kumawat, it was jointly unveiled on Saturday by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta.
"From Chicago 1893 to Seattle 2026! Seattle's skyline has a new Indian icon: Swami Vivekananda! City of Seattle becomes the first city government to host the Swami Vivekananda Monument in the heart of downtown Seattle," the Consulate General of India in Seattle said in a social media post.
Addressing the event, Wilson said the monument reflects Seattle's inclusive spirit and strengthens cultural ties between India and the diverse metropolitan tech hub in the US Pacific Northwest.
The statue has been gifted by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) to the City of Seattle in recognition of its "in recognition of the city’s rich multicultural character and spirit of inclusivity", the Indian mission in Seattle said in a statement.
The unveiling of the statue was held on the occasion of the celebration of ICCR Day and is part of India's broader cultural diplomacy initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between India and the US Pacific Northwest, the Consulate said.
Located at the bustling Westlake Square, which sees over 400,000 visitors daily, the monument stands near prominent landmarks including the Amazon headquarters ‘Spheres’, the Seattle Convention Centre and the Seattle Centre Monorail.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by several local leaders, including mayors from cities in the Greater Seattle area, community representatives and members of the Indian-American diaspora.
Swami Vivekananda had delivered his historic address at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, introducing Hindu philosophy to a global audience.
_vb_92.jpeg)
_vb_08.jpeg)
_vb_31.jpeg)