Team Herald
BICHOLIM: Anil Salelkar, a resident of Pilgao has denied that he apologised to the High Court for wrong information regarding mining activity even as Vedanta Limited produced an affidavit where Salekar had made false statements under sworn affidavit that he had no role to play in the transport blockade of iron ore from Bicholim mineral block.
Salelkar said that he had filed a miscellaneous civil application in the High Court seeking to stop iron ore transportation during night. “I wanted to stop ore transportation in Pilgao during night. The High Court told the mining company to stop it. It was my prayer,” he said refusing to speak about his affidavit tending apology to the Court.
On the other hand, the Vedanta Limited stated that Salelkar had tendered unconditional apology to the Court. Salelkar, who is a former worker of Sesa Mining Corporation Ltd, had previously publicly vowed to obstruct ore transportation, it said.
Salelkar in his affidavit admitted to him making false and incorrect statements, the company said. But when Vedanta Sesa Goa lawyers argued that Salelkar was driving an individual agenda with vested interest under the garb of the PIL and faced with evidence of his direct involvement in illegal blockades, he had no option but to withdraw his intervention and undertake that he would not obstruct transportation in any manner, the company stated in a press communique.
It further said that the High Court order had secured Goa’s economic future, and has upheld Vedanta’s right to conduct mining operations