Kalay villagers demand resumption of handling mineral ore at railway yard

SANGUEM: Around 70 villagers from Kalay marched to the Kalay Panchayat office on Friday, demanding resumption of loading and unloading activity of mineral ore at the Kalay Railway Yard, which is presently kept on hold in view of the status quo order passed by the High Court in the petition filed by Goa Foundation through Claude Alvares.

Alvares in his petition has challenged the legality of the loading and unloading operations of mineral ore at Kalay Railway Yard sans the permission of the Chief Wildlife Warden under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

At the hearing held on January 16, the High Court in its order held that prima facie there is enough material on record that this activities are conducted with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and accordingly directed the parties to maintain status quo until January 2023 when the matter will come up for hearing on interim relief.

Irked with the order passed by the High Court, around 70 villagers who are directly or indirectly involved in the loading and unloading operations at the Kalay railway yard, on Friday led an agitation to the Kalay Village Panchayat and charged the village sarpanch Narendra Gaonkar to be hand-in-glove with Claude Alvares and for supporting the petition filed by Alvares.

Gaonkar however reiterated his stand that he never asked for stoppage of loading and unloading operations at the Railway Yard. The agitators however showed paper clippings to Gaonkar where he is seen with Alvares. But Gaonkar still reiterated that he never asked for the stoppage of the operations.

The agitators during their agitation pointed out that they have been working at the Kalay Railway Yard for several years and earning their livelihood. The stoppage of the loading and unloading operations will severely affect their livelihood, making their families suffer.

The villagers also pointed out if the High Court gives a stoppage order on January 23 hearing, it will have severe affect their daily living as most of their activities are concentrated within the precincts of Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and the Forest Department will subsequently harass the villagers in the guise of the order passed by the High Court in the present matter.