The delay over construction of mining corridors is likely to
be proven as major hurdle before the State government for resumption of mining
activities from the coming season in October, with villagers from Sanguem and
Quepem taluka warning to protest against iron ore transportation if the
corridors are not built.
Several villagers from Quepem, Sanguem and Curchorem areas
of South Goa met Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Tuesday morning demanding
that the mining by-pass should be completed on war-footing, without which the
ore would not be allowed to be transported in those areas.
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Chief Minister has assured to come out with an amicable
solution on the matter.
The villagers have demanded that the Government had in 2011
proposed mining corridor in three different phases – Uguem to Guddemol, Guddemo
to Curchorem and Pirla to Uguem, needs to be completed before resuming the
transportation of iron ore from various mining leases to a jetty at Curchorem.
“State government has been dragging its feet over the crucial
mining by-pass which needs to be completed in three phases. Due to this the
trucks are forced to take the main road resulting in several fatal accidents,”
Pradeep Kakodkar, a leader of “Mission Bypass” told reporters after meeting
Parsekar this afternoon.
Kakodkar along with other villagers had begun agitation
stopping the iron ore transportation in March this year following a fatal
accident that killed two ladies. The people have stopped the transportation
since then demanding that no truck would be allowed to carry the ore without
mining bypass.
Kakodkar today told reporters that around 6,000 trucks are
operational in Sanguem, Quepem and Curchorem belt, but the current agitation
has affected only few truck trips, and not the entire transportation. “The
truckers drive rash and in negligent manner. With narrow village roads and
trucks being parked on the either side of the road, it becomes very difficult
for the normal commuter to travel,” he explained adding ‘though government has
fixed the speed limit, no trucks follow it’.
“The iron ore mining transportation has killed nearly 70-80
people till now in the belt,” he added stating ore is not a perishable
commodity and the mining firms can wait for the completion of by pass to export
the ore.
The issue was recently raised during the Assembly Session
wherein Chief Minister had assured that the construction of mining corridors
would be either undertaken by the mining firms or through utilizing the funds
collected under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF).
