PONDA: The locals in Dharbandora, Ponda Taluka have raised concerns about the large exhausted mining pits filled with rainwater at Kirlapal Dabal on the bank of Dudhsagar river in Dharbandora Taluka. According to reports, there are six to seven mining pits, some of which are dangerously filled with rainwater. Recently, there were fears about certain mining pits being filled with water at a level that gave the appearance of a sea.
One particularly large pit is located near the Dudhsagar river at Kirlapal-Dabal, with only a buffer zone of approximately 30 to 40 meters separating the mining pit from the river. There are no concrete walls in place to prevent landslides between the river and the mining pit, posing a risk during the monsoon season. In the event of a breach of this buffer zone due to natural calamities such as landslides or cloud bursts, the water from the mining pit could flow into the Dudhsagar river, potentially leading to disasters and floods in villages downstream up to Khandepar and Savoiverem.
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While the Goa government pumps water from some of the mining pits into the Dudhsagar river during water shortages in April and May for the Opa treatment plant downstream, the lack of preventive measures pose risk in case of untoward incidents caused by natural calamities.
Environmentalists Ramesh Gawas and Sandeep Parkar have raised valid concerns regarding the potential risks associated with mining pits and the need for proper restoration and maintenance of buffer zones to prevent environmental disasters.
Ramesh Gawas highlighted the possibility of water gushing into the river and causing flooding in downstream villages like Khandepar, Murdi, and Vagurme during high tides, emphasizing the importance of a 100-metre buffer zone to mitigate such risks.
Sandeep Parkar emphasized the need for the government to take action in restoring and filling dangerous mining pits that are currently in government possession. He pointed out that the violation of the 100-meter buffer zone distance poses a significant threat to the safety of downstream villages and could lead to potential flooding in the event of a natural calamity.
