Parthasarathy Sen
This refers to the report “Sonshi kids denied basic human rights: Child Rights Commission” [Herald, April 22]. Firstly thanks to Herald for bringing out the plight of Sonshi village as a result of crude and mindless iron ore mining, as a result of which both Government and society have become informed and conscientious. Kudos to the Child Rights Commission too. The going-ons in this north eastern part of Sattari with dense forest and greenery must move every Goan and country persons to put pressure on the government not to decimate the lives of inhabitants and degrade the natural environment especially as we celebrate Earth Day on April 22.
Mining is necessary to sustain Goa’s prestige in being the first state of export of iron ore, this allows the free flow of industries and stainless steel growth abroad, earns export earnings for the country and provides source of livelihood to many Goan people. What is most important is to see that this very process does not maim and cause death to the villagers, specially the infants and the very young because that would be counter-productive.
Due to no protective measures, dust is gathered through trucks’ movement, impurifies the sole village pond, drinking water gets contaminated resulting in lung related problems to every villager of Sonshi and above all denial of basic human rights to the growing up.
Vishwajit Rane, who represents Valpoi constituency and now a member of the government, must do everything possible to keep the economic process in motion with all protective steps and save the lives of people of Sonshi and children from being destroyed and permanently hampered. What a sad joke that this village school has only 4 students and they cannot even study due to injurious dust and noise of the trucks. God will never condone the activities of those who prosper at the expense of the multitude. May righteousness and sanity prevail in Sonshi.
