Team Herald
BICHOLIM: The two-day protest by villagers and farmers from Pilgao finally prompted the Vedanta Sesa Goa mining company to stop night transportation on Friday.
Now three groups have emerged in the iron ore transportation dispute.
The truckers have now threatened to surrender their tipper trucks to banks claiming that they are not able to repay loans.
The first group of villagers, farmers and retrenched workers are vehemently opposing the ore transportation on the old route. The second group consists of residents from the 25 houses situated at Bagwada, who are demanding stoppage to night transportation as it was disturbing their sleep. The third group consists of truckers and company workers who are demanding a right to their livelihood. The truckers are ready to stop night transportation provided their number of trips is increased during the day.
Though the meeting with the Bicholim Deputy Collector Rohan Kaskar remained inconclusive on Friday morning, the mining company did not carry out night transportation. However, transportation continued throughout the day. The residents of Bagwada, Pilgao have now coined the slogan that sleep is a basic fundamental right and disturbing it amounts to violation.
Truck operators Udesh Mandrekar and Maheshwar Pednekar have warned that they will surrender their trucks to the banks if the ore transportation is not streamlined by the government.
Speaking to mediapersons on Saturday, they said, “Mining activity had resumed after a hiatus of over 12 years. We suffered a lot and now wanted to earn our livelihood by working day and night but we are facing difficulties due to blockades. We have no option but to surrender our trucks since we are unable to repay the loans and we appeal to the government to give us compensation.”
They further pointed out that even small traders who were hit due to the mining ban had restarted their trade and they too again face a bleak future. Anand Naik and Shailesh Gaonkar, both working in the mining company have backed their demand and they have also threatened to come on the road if ongoing blockade is not stopped.