basically a bypass through which mining trucks would pass, avoiding mining dust, due to truck transportation through villages in the Curchorem, Sanguem belt.
Villagers from Sanguem and Quepem talukas have warned of protests against iron ore transportation if the corridors are not built.
Several villagers from Quepem, Sanguem and Curchorem areas had met Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar last month demanding that the mining bypass be completed on a war-footing, without which ore would not be allowed to be transported in those areas.
In 2011, the Digambar Kamat government had proposed a mining corridor in three different phases – Uguem to Guddemol, Guddemol to Curchorem and Pirla to Uguem. However, even five years later, the corridors are still to see the light of the day.
The State government has been dragging its feet over the crucial mining bypass which needs to be completed in three phases. Due to this, trucks are forced to take the main road resulting in several fatal accidents,” Pradeep Kakodkar, a leader of ‘Mission Bypass’ said.
Kakodkar, along with other villagers, had begun an agitation stopping iron ore transportation in March this year following a fatal accident that killed two women. The people have stopped transportation since then.
Kakodkar said that around 6,000 trucks are operational in Sanguem, Quepem and Curchorem belt, but the agitation has affected only a few truck trips, and not the entire transportation. “The truckers drive in a rash and in negligent manner. With narrow village roads and trucks being parked on the either side of the road, it becomes difficult for the normal commuters to travel,” said a local lady Vaishali Vaigankar adding, “Though the government has fixed the speed limit, no trucks follow it.”
“Iron ore mining transportation has killed nearly 70 to 80 people till now in the belt,” said another villager Vikas Desai, stating that ore is not a perishable commodity and mining firms can wait for the completion of bypass to export the ore.
The issue was recently raised in the Assembly and the Chief Minister had assured that the construction of the mining corridors would be undertaken either by the mining firms or utilising funds collected under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF).
Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral says that he has been taking up the issue with the government and he will not sit quiet till it is completed. “The work was already tendered and about to start but due to some issues by the contractor it was abandoned,” he said adding, that now the government is ready to retender it and a core committee has also been formed under the Chief Secretary for this matter of mining corridors. The cost of this decision will be Rs 233 crores.
But patience is clearly running out for the locals.
When pointed out that the Chief Minister had asked the mining companies to build the corridors, Cabral said it is not possible at this point of time. “The companies are reluctant to even start mining due to the crash in ore prices besides there is no demand,” he said.
