BICHOLIM: Residents of about 35 houses in Sarmanas Pilgaon are suffering tremendously due to the night ore transportation, which has been recently permitted by the State Government and carried out by the mining company. Residents complained that senior citizens, adults and children do not get proper sleep due to the loud noise made by passing trucks.
Their ordeal is not limited to just passing truck which make loud noises but even the mining company is using JCB excavators for digging at night, which make lot of noise driving the people crazy. This will have serious effects on our mental health, villagers complained.
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The local people have demanded that government stop the night transportation of ore and mining excavation at night. School going children are fed up with the noise caused by these mineral transporters and late night trucks. They are unable to study or get proper rest to be fresh for next day’s classes.
Shreya Vargaonkar, a 6 year old student from Sarmanas Pilgao complained, “When my dad goes to reach me to school, the truck generate lot of dust. The dust goes into my eyes. The truck move very fast. They make a lot of noise at night. We get up at night and even my small brother cannot sleep once we get up at night.
Sunanda Valvoikar, “This night ore transportation which they have started, does not give us sleep. When are the children supposed to sleep and when are they supposed to study? At night there are lot of loud noises of digging and excavating. There are elders, there are sick people in the village, once we get up we cannot get sleep. They the entire day we feel giddy, now we too are getting old.”
Sandeep Vargaokar, Sarmanas Villager rues the permission given by government to operate mining trucks from 11.30am to 5.30am. He says, “Our children are small, if they get up at night, it is extremely difficult to put them to sleep again. Those who work on night shifts reach home at around 1.30 to 2.00am. So when are we supposed to sleep. We do not get sleep with the sound.”
Pralay Chawan, Sarmanas Villager says, “The operation of trucks during the day is an ordeal, but now that the trucks have ferrying ore at night, is indeed a nightmare for us. Sleep is most important for a human being. These days people suffer from tension, so sleep is a must to relax. People here have to get up at 4 to 5am and got to work. The government has to be sensitive to the needs of the people while giving such permissions.”
