BICHOLIM: The villagers of Sarmanas have locked horns with Pilgao locals over the transportation of mining ore, which is expected to commence next week, through their village.
With the Sarmanas residents opposing the move of the company to transport ore from Shirgao to Sarmanas jetty, some other residents including a local panch has supported the move of the company.
Addressing a press conference here, Sarmanas local Mahesh Volvoikar informed that Vedanta mining company has purchased 60,000 tonnes of iron ore from Chowgule Mining Company at Shirgao which they want to transport to Sarmanas jetty via Sarmanas village from January 8.
The Sarmanas villagers have decided not to allow this transportation as they will face dust pollution. “We will not allow the ore transportation through our village as it will spoil our daily routine due to acute dust pollution,” Volvoikar said.
“Why the Sarmanas village is taken for granted every time with regards to ore transportation as the same will not benefit them as it is the problem of the mining company and the ore is from outside area,” another villager Krishna Sawant questioned.
The villagers have threatened to come on streets if the ore is transported through Sarmanas village. Other villagers Alankar Mardolkar, Vijay Vargaonkar, Anil Chavhan and others also expressed similar views.
Contrary to this, the villagers from Pilgao including the local panch have strongly supported the transportation of ore. “We want that mining should restart. If they are opposing the mining it means that they have some personal motive. Mining has helped in development of the villagers and the truck owners are also in support of the transportation,” local panch Anil Naik said.
“Earlier, ore from outside was also transported to Sarmanas; why they did not oppose then,” Naik asked adding that most of the truck owners are from the village and so they support the company.
Suresh Chodankar, Mohan Dhatkar, Govind Chawhan, Vishnu Vargaonkar, Krishna Gavli, Devanand Jalmi and others were present for the briefing.
