Mining without mercy, say residents of three villages

Mining without mercy, say residents of three villages
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JUNE 9
A delegation of Utt Goenkara along with a few villagers affected by continuous mining dust pollution at Honda, Pissurlem and Harvalem met Director of Mines Arvind Loliyekar on Wednesday to apprise him about overloading of trucks and to know about guidelines, if any, for the umpteen number of ore carriers passing through these villages that have made life miserable.
Sagar Parwar from Harvalem, who was part of the delegation, said a petition regarding the dust pollution was filed before the Bicholim Sub-Divisional Magistrate, but till date not a single hearing had taken place. The serious issue is classified as a “miscellaneous” case, indicating it as any other matter, he mentioned.
Parwar said some of the wells in the village had dried up and fields have been inundated with silt from the mining sites around the area. Then there is the problem of outside ore being brought here and mixed with the local ore, he highlighted.
Even though the Director of Mines Loliyekar told the delegation he would look into the issue, he said his department had no control over the overloading of tipper trucks and the same could be handled at the Transport Department level. He also advised the delegation to contact the Goa State Pollution Control Board to deal with the problem of dust pollution.
Office bearer of Utt Goenkara Prajal Sakhardande maintained children as well as elders were suffering from asthma, bronchitis and tuberculosis on account of pollution in Honda village in Sattari taluka. “Even the food that they eat is contaminated with mining dust. We assert it is the duty of the Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane to go and witness the health problems of these villagers and find a solution immediately,” he mentioned.
Sakhardande brought to the director’s notice heritage sites in the vicinity of mining zones in some villages. Loliyekar made a mention of these sites in his notepad and assured the Utt Goenkara office bearer he would see what he can do.
Utt Goenkara General Secretary Advino Fernandes said today they had come to see what the director had to say and what powers he had to stop the mining dust pollution. We will continue to support the villagers in their fight against dust pollution, he mentioned.