Ponda: All was going smoothly for school students in mining belt at Khajan Pali till the mining was in operation but as soon as mines were closed due to legal complications eight month ago, their days changed and now around 30 students including two special children along with their parents in Khajan Pallim Village Panchayat are suffering and facing hardship due to sudden stoppage of free bus service facilities provided to them by mining company operating in their area, after closure of mining in Goa on ground that it is not affordable for them to continue this service. The Locals of Khajan in Palim Panchayat now are demanding government interfere and solve this problem through
District mineral fund which is meant for mining affected people.
Because of closure of free school buses to students almost thirty students residing at Khajan in Pallim Panchayat are now in trouble due to stoppage of free bus service by one Mining Company. They are now required to cover a distance of 1.5 km on internal road of village by walking to reach to the main road of the Village and then has to pick up the passenger buses to reach to school, Higher secondary and College.
Among the thirty students there are two special students and their parents are suffering more hardship for their transportation to school and bring them back after school hours.
At Khajan Palim there is a plot that is mined by of mining Company for more than 60 years. Based on demands of villagers the mining company was providing some facilities including water supply and free bus service to students in this village but as soon as mining is closed all these facilities including free bus service has been stopped leading to students and villagers are forced to face hardship.
Khajan area is located around 1.5 km away from the main road of Palim Village. The road is rough and muddy and around 30 students including two special students from Khajan, Chawdi and Kumbarwada are going to school for their education and were deriving the benefit of free school buses provided by mining company. But after the closure the mining the said mining Company at the start of this educational academic year in June has suddenly stopped the free bus service without deliberating on issue and taking the villagers into confidence, says the locals. Thus without finding a solution to the problems of students, they have been treading the rough, muddy road to reach to main road and then to their school through buses. These consumes lot of precious time of school students as well as parents.
When parents asked the management of Mining Company the officials informed the citizens to apply with District Mineral Fund and run the free buses from its fund. Left with no option the Villagers prepared memorandum and submitted to Mines Department along with District Mineral Fund asking for urgent bus service to school students who are facing hardship. But now almost six month passed, villagers said there is no action from Authorities. According to locals around Rs 600 crore collected by government for the welfare schemes of mining belt affected people which includes Rs 177.65 Crore under Goa District Mineral Fund while under Goa Iron Ore Permanent Fund (GIOPF) Rs 419.65
crore is collected. The Government should make best use of it since many mining belt people lost employment after closure of mining and are suffering for basic needs.
