Addressing a press conference in the city, ABKS Mayem President Kamlakant Gadekar said that they have been fighting with the mining companies since last several years, for compensation.
“The farmers from Mayem have been given compensation in 2009 and 2010 for the silt that had entered the farms and rendered them useless,” Gadekar said adding “since then the two companies operating in the village have not given any compensation to the farmers.”
The ABKS had approached the Bicholim mamlatdar in 2012, but the mining company in 2013 appealed to the North Goa collector stating that there should be soil testing of the silt from the farms.
After about a year the case was transferred to the Bicholim deputy collector. Today was the last day of hearing, but the farmers were in for a rude shock when they were told that the case was referred back to the collector.
Taking serious objection to this, the farmers from Mayem have urged the government to intervene. They have also urged the local MLA to raise the issue in the assembly and resolve it.
“If the issue is not resolved before the Ganesh Chaturthi, about 500 plus farmers who are affected by mining silt would not allow mining to resume in the village,” Gadekar warned.
