Team Herald
BICHOLIM: Fed up with the rumble of vehicles and the dust pollution caused by ore transportation, a group of agitated villagers and farmers of Bagwada, Pilgao, along with their families including children ventured out of their houses and stopped the trucks from plying in the village on Wednesday night.
At around 11.30 pm, the villagers stopped tipper trucks transporting ore from the Mayem mines to the Sarmanas Jetty. The protesters alleged that the mining company was transporting ore illegally and that they had no Environment Clearance (EC) to transport ore at night.
They complained that movement of trucks was causing sound pollution and disturbing their sleep.
On receiving the information, the company officials and the Bicholim Police reached the spot site and held talks with the protesters. The company representatives told them that they had permission from the government to transport iron ore during the night. The Bicholim Police also requested the villagers not to stop the ore-laden trucks. After almost three hours the transportation started as villagers and farmers returned to their houses.
Leena Salelkar, a Pilgao villager said, “On Wednesday night we stopped the ore transportation as it was causing a lot of problems to us. We are unable to bear the sound and dust pollution caused by the movement of trucks. Secondly, it was disturbing our sleep.”
Leena said that after stopping the trucks for almost three hours, the villagers relented at around 3 am after which the trucks operated for next two hours. She said that the villagers and farmers along with all seven Pilgao panchayat members have resolved to stop transportation again on Thursday night.
Though few villagers stopped the transportation, the children who were present at the site said, “For last four days we suffered due to sound and dust pollution and no proper sleep. We cannot bear it anymore.”
The ore transportation during night was allowed from December 27, while the transportation from the main road started from December 13 after a halt of 23 days.
Supporting the Pilgao villagers, Environmentalist Ramesh Gauns said, “Transportation of ore through the village is completely illegal because one of the conditions in the EC order states that no transportation of minerals shall be allowed in case of roads passing through villages/ habitation and in such cases the project proponent (mining company) shall construct a bypass road for the purpose of transportation of mineral leaving an adequate gap (at least 200 metres) so that adverse impact of sound and dust along with chances of accidents could be mitigated.”
Gauns pointed out that the working days for transportation mentioned in the EC order was 237 days and total quantity per annum was 3 lakh and 12,658 tonnes per day. Also, the number of trips by trucks mentioned in the EC order is 120 trips per day and timings are from 6 am to 7 am, 8 am to 12.45 pm and from 2 pm to 5.45 pm every day. Therefore, the effective transportation timings were 9.30 hours, he said.
Vedanta Sesa Goa in a press release stated that all transportation activities are carried out in strict adherence to applicable laws, regulations and necessary permissions. A comprehensive and consultative process is underway and the company is working closely with the communities to address all issues so that operations are conducted in a manner that benefits all stakeholders.