BICHOLIM: The Pilgao farmers strike has entered the 25 day. They have blocked the ore transport from the Mines since the road passes through their fields, which have been destroyed over the last 50 years.
Though they were paid compensation and their youth were taken as employees by Dempo Mining and later on by Sesa, Farmers claim that when Vedanta took over, they brough workmen from outside the state and retrenched local workers.
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The farmers therefore blocked the roads through their fields. Subsequently, according to farmers, the mining company thought of a second route through Mathwada, which the farmers got wind of and threatened to block that route too.
Finally farmers said the company decided to the ply the ore transportation trucks from the main road. The farmers have firmly opposed this too saying that this is against the High Court judgement and threatens the lives of villagers and students.
On Thursday, Pilgao sarmanas Scheduled Tribes community farmers hit the streets, with their wives and children, to protest plans by the mining company to transport the ore by road. As the protest entered the 25th day, farmers said it is against the High Court judgement to ferry the ore by the highway. The farmers’ wives said that injustice is being done to them and their families. We are not happy with this government’s decision, they said. Intervention by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has failed to break the deadlock.
