While the tragedy cannot be directly linked to government inaction, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the State is made safe for its citizens. In this case it did not take measures to close the pits or even to make the area safe by fillng the pits, despite there being a court order. The least that could be expected from the authorities is to fence these dangerous areas so that people do not venture into the pits or close to them. The bigger issue here is that there are still several unfenced quarries in Pernem taluka alone and some of them are in government property.
Mining pits, quarry pits left open are hazards that Goa can do without. In the case of the death of four students at Pernem, who drowned in a laterite quarry on Saturday, the local people had already feared that such a tragedy could well be possible, if the government ignored the illegal quarrying happening in the area. They had even approached the green tribunal on the issue and obtained directions to the State to take remedial measures and revert on the actions taken within six months. But in this case, the government was caught napping, and young boys on an excursion lost their lives when they slipped and fell into the pit.
It should not happen again. The NGT had taken a broad view of the issue and said that any action taken by Goa need not be confined to the area from where the petition was made, but can cover the entire State, with directions to the Chief Secretary to monitor the progress at least once a month. It had also directed Goa to consider constituting a special task force to deal with the issues due to the magnitude of the problem. How may of these directions were adhered to, and how many were violated? The government should come forward and explain just what steps it has taken since the NGT directions were made to close the pits in the State, or what measures have been taken to make them safe.
It, however, all comes down to illegal activities occuring in the State and the manner in which they are condoned. This laterite quarrying pit was illegal. The persons who were quarrying there should now be identified and made to face the law for undertaking the illegal activity and then leaving the pit unattended as a hazard. This turning a blind eye to illegal mining has to stop. But, going beyond that, the government has to ensure that there is a system whereby only those with licences to undertake quarrying or mining are allowed to undertake operations. Whether it be sand extraction, laterite quarrying or any other mining work, enforcement squads have to be on hand to act on an immediate basis when there are complaints of illegalities.
It is only now that the local MLA has said that before the next monsoon he will request the government to conduct a survey of all the laterite quarries in Pernem, identify the owners and get the quarries filled up before the rains. Too little, too late. This may ensure that future tragedies of this nature will be stopped, but it is unfortunate that it took the deaths of four young boys for the MLA to respond to the situation in his constitutency. The responsiveness of the government and its departments should not depend on tragedies and on other actions. The government has to show itself to be proactive in all matters, rather than reactive, beginning with curtailing illegal activities.
