Team Herald
PONDA: Tension gripped Dharbandora on Thursday after locals blocked transportation of ore by a mining company from Codli to its pig iron plant at Amona despite the monsoon ban.
Locals said that they blocked the trucks transporting ore as it was against the ban imposed by the Mines Department for safety reasons.
On being informed, Dharbandora Mamlatdar Satish Prabhu and Ponda Police headed by PI Sudesh Naik rushed to the site to control the situation.
Sarpanch Balaji Gawas, who also rushed to the site, defended the blocking of the trucks by the locals.
He said, “The trucks were transporting ore in violation of an order of Mines Department.”
The Mines Department notification, dated June 27, ordered stoppage of surface transportation of mineral ore in monsoon, till further order.
Later, the mining company officials also rushed to the spot and showed an order of the Mines Department, which ‘relaxed’ its own order permitting the company to transport ore in monsoon.
The officials claimed that they were permitted to make 400 trips to its pig iron plant at Amona.
However, when the matter reached to Deputy Collector’ office at Dharbandora, the deputy collector asked the company not to transport ore during monsoon following which the trucks returned to company premises.
