In a press release, Velip said that the residents of Cavrem had proposed a co-operative society ‘The Sadhana Multipurpose Society’ under the Co-operative Societies Act, 2001, and the registration application was sent to the Assistant Registrar of Co-Operative Societies, Quepem, on June 5, 2014. The proposal listed agriculture as the society’s prime objective, while the other objectives included having control over illegal mining and to ensure sustainable mining in and around Cavrem.
“However, the proposal to register the society was refused by the Assistant Registrar, who remarked that the society will not be economical viable. The decision was challenged before the Administrative Co-Operative Tribunal in Panjim and also a writ petition was filed before the High Court of Bombay at Goa with a grievance that the State government has violated the fundamental right of Cavrem villagers as enshrined under Article 19 (C). The High Court heard the matter and directed the Administrative Co-Operative Tribunal to dispose of the appeal within three months from the date of its filing,” said Velip in his press note.
He added that the villagers had approached the winning bidders with a request to consider their proposal to transport the ore through their proposed society, but they did not receive a reply.
