Team Herald
bicholim: A day after Mulgao villagers along with panchayat members marched to the Bicholim mining block-I and stopped the extraction of iron ore as it was causing sound pollution in the village, their meeting with the Vedanta Limited remained inconclusive on Monday, with the locals claiming that the company officials gave them no concrete assurance.
However, Vedanta emphasised that all matters raised by the locals are being carefully considered.
Mulgao sarpanch Mansi Kavthankar, panchayat members, Shree Kelbai Devasthan Committee president Vasant Gad, Comunidade of Mulgao president Maheshwar Parab and villagers were present during the meeting.
Vedanta Ltd was represented by Dheeraj Kumar Jagdish, Deputy CEO of Iron Ore Goa and Santosh Mandrekar, head of north cluster.
The meeting discussed some of the main demands of the villagers and farmers such as desilting of paddy fields on priority, clearing compensation of farmers pending since 2011, releasing arrears of lease rent to Comunidade of Mulgao since nearly 2.21 lakh square metres of area is falling in the Bicholim mining block.
The company representatives informed the villagers that compensation up to 2018 will be provided to them and added that the company was ready to discuss other issues as well.
After the meeting, the villagers said that there was no concrete assurance from the company officials except telling that it will discuss the issue.
“During talks the mining company representatives could not say ‘yes or no’ and the meeting remained inconclusive,” said Vasant Gad.
Later, in a press statement the Vedanta Ltd emphasized that all matters raised by the Mulgao community are being carefully considered, and the company is focused on achieving a swift conclusion.
“We have been proactive in addressing compensation issues and request concerned entities to share the long pending details we have sought and which will help bring closure to the matter,” the company said.
On Monday, the truck operators from Bicholim protested against the mining company’s decision to outsource trucks through a contractor for ore transportation.
The truck operators stopped their operations and staged a protest in front of the company’s gate at Bicholim, demanding to withdraw trucks hired by them.
Truck Owners Association of Sesa Mining president Rajaram ‘Satish’ Gaonkar said that after resumption of mining activity they were struggling to make minimum two trips per day, while the company had now brought 12-wheeler trucks to transport ore.
“We will not allow the company to use their trucks. We have 180 truck owners and we will not operate our trucks till the time the company withdraws the trucks outsourced by them to transport ore,” warned Gaonkar.