Team Herald
PANJIM: Villagers and farmers from Pilgao have filed a petition against Vedanta Limited, accusing the mining company of violating Environmental Clearance (EC) conditions during the transportation of iron ore. The petition has also prayed for a complete bar on the transporting of ore at night.
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Anil Salelkar, a resident of Bagwada in Pilgao, filed the petition on behalf of the villagers and farmers, through a miscellaneous civil application in public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition supported by the Mulakh Khajan Farmers Association and the Goa Foundation. The matter will be heard on Monday, January 13.
The petitioners have requested the court to direct the Directorate of Mines and Geology, along with police authorities, to halt the transportation of ore by the mining company during the night. They argue that the night-time transportation is causing significant noise pollution, disturbing the villagers’ sleep. The villagers of Matwada, Pilgao, have specifically opposed the night-time transport.
Salelkar has also urged the court to restrict Vedanta from using the main road, which passes through the settlement area from the New Beneficiary Plant to Sarmanas Jetty, for ore transportation. The petition calls for the company to adhere to the EC conditions.
The EC conditions specify using only the roads specified in the clearance and following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) set by the Directorate of Mines and Geology.
According to the EC conditions, no transportation should occur through villages or areas with habitations. The mining company was also directed to construct a ‘bypass’ road for transporting minerals to avoid passing through populated areas.
This petition follows a December 17, 2024, order from the High Court of Bombay at Goa, which instructed the State government to find a legal solution to the issue of iron ore transportation in Pilgao, Bicholim, ensuring compliance with the conditions set forth in the Environmental Clearance issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
