PANJIM: All India Kisan Sabha- Goa unit has urged the State government to issue necessary directions to the mining companies to pay compensation towards crop damage due to iron ore activities, to the farmers in the mining belt.
Addressing media persons, All India Kisan Sabha- Goa convenor Adv Jatin Naik said that the Bombay High Court at Goa had in 2001 passed clear directions to government to appoint special mamletdar in the mining affected areas, to assess the damage occurred and take necessary action towards compensation to farmers.
He said that government failed completely to implement the direction and that the mamletdar’s are least bother to look into the complaints of the farmers.
Citing an example, Naik said that in Mayem, the mining companies paid compensation to the farmers from 2009-12, however, no compensation was given post 2012 despite the fact that ore rejects continue to wash into the village and agriculture fields during monsoons.
“We give one month ultimatum to government to issue necessary directions to the mining companies to pay the necessary compensation, failing which we would protest,” he said.
