Team Herald
BICHOLIM: Residents of Bicholim and Sattari talukas have made their position clear, mining activities should not proceed if they threaten the environment, water bodies, and the religious heritage of surrounding villages.
The public hearings organised by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) for environmental clearance of the ‘Block 7 - Kudnem Mineral Block’ served as a precursor to potential mining operations and saw a significant turnout of locals, including farmers.Two public hearings were held on Friday, one in Kudnem, Sankhali, and the other at Ravindra Bhavan, Sankhali.
Over 200 locals attended the meeting at Ravindra Bhavan, where they voiced their concerns about the destruction of water bodies, the environment, and temples in the vicinity. Farmers and villagers shared their struggles during and after the mining closure.
One farmer remarked, “Farmers and horticulturists have been the worst affected due to mining activities. Along with mining, we lost our natural water resources, and when mining stopped, we lost the alternative water supply option that was provided to us.”
At the public hearing in Kudnem, Sankhali, conditional support for the Kudnem mine was expressed. More than a hundred attendees showed direct but conditional backing for mining activities in their village. The block has been auctioned to the Vedanta-Sesa company.
Former Minister Sadanand Malik, a resident of Kudnem, voiced his opposition to the mining lease, citing environmental and constitutional concerns. “The government should reconsider their decision,” he stated.
Similarly, Uday Natekar, a farmer from Surla village, condemned the report prepared for the public hearing as misleading, particularly regarding the impact of mining on local farms. He warned that he would challenge this in court.
Other speakers at the public hearing expressed their support for mining, provided that it is conducted with due regard for the environment, agriculture, population, temples, health, education, security, and the sustainability of village life.