l Cavrem anger also at the system that allows only big contractors and truckers l Locals allege that dumps have been loaded on top of the good ore lLocals benefit nothing from transportation of e-auctioned ore
Team Herald
Panjim: The Cavrem flashpoint is a mere curtain raiser for times to come as so called “economic activity”, restarts with the transportation of E auctioned ore.
The entire process controlled by the monitoring Committee of the Supreme Court, has a template which leaves many locals who have one or two trucks and depended on assured business from mining companies, have to deal with a mining contractor who they have to register their trucks with. Ditto for all labourers wanting work
In this instance the transport contract went to a close relative of MLA Subhash Pladesai.So basically the same people who were controlling mining before the ban are still calling the shots, with the difference being that the contractor, unlike mining companies have no social obligation, which had to be met to carry out smooth transportation. As mine owner Harish Melwani says “Each trip of ore transported benefitted so many locals economically. Firstly homes falling along the route were compensated, local trucks were deployed other ancillary industries made money. Now with so many requirements, the entry level for small time truckers has been raised”
Hence these protests were fuelled not just by activists but the real small time mining dependent. Another reason for the flashpoint was that the protestors claimed that ore far is excess of the auctioned amount was being transported. “There were no government officials. Officially 13,500 tonnes was the figure. Actually it is about one lakh tones. On
site there are dumps where on top of the good ore they have dumped rejects to hoodwink the authorities. A memorandum already submitted. And also we will inform the monitoring committee.
An Inspection was conducted today after pressure from locals and after an agitation and so many our people being arrested” said Nilesh Gaonkar, a prominent anti mining activist in the area
The company running the mine at Cavrem yestersay – Minescape Minerals – has apparently sacked more than 50 workers residents of Caurem and neighbouring areas. Some of the laid-off workers, have been jobless for about 10 months, and when they approached the company yesterday, they were flatly refused any kind of employment or remuneration. This has played a part in the fuelling of anger which reached its tipping point with the realization that resumption of economic activity is a phenomenon that may not quite touch locals, who need it the most.
