Team Herald
BICHOLIM: The simmering tension in Pilgao over the transportation of ore escalated on Friday as local farmers and villagers, joined by Panchayat members, announced their intention to approach the Bombay High Court at Goa if Vedanta Sesa Goa’s night-time ore transportation does not stop.
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A meeting on Friday between all stakeholders – the Deputy Collector, Bicholim Police, village representatives, Panchayat members, and officials from mining company – failed to break the deadlock.
This followed a second consecutive night of protests on Thursday, where locals blocked the trucks transporting ore, alleging that the noise pollution was ruining their sleep and throwing the lives of their children, who have to go to school in the morning, out of gear completely.
Claiming that the right to peaceful sleep is a fundamental right, the protesters expressed their concerns to police, stating that the constant movement of trucks was causing significant sound pollution during the night. In response, Bicholim Mamlatdar Pravind Gawas visited the site to mediate the situation, advising the protesters to meet with the Bicholim Deputy Collector on Friday morning.
A meeting took place later between Deputy Collector Rohan Kaskar, Bicholim Police Inspector Dinesh Gadkar, village representatives, Panchayat members, and officials from Vedanta Sesa Goa. However, the meeting failed to resolve the issue, with villagers continuing to oppose night-time ore transportation. They argued that the government’s approval for such activities violated Supreme Court guidelines and the conditions of the Environmental Clearance (EC) granted for mining operations.
Environmentalist Ramesh Gauns, who attended the meeting, criticized the company for allegedly providing inaccurate information about a dedicated road used for ore transportation, claiming it was only mentioned to obtain EC approval. Gauns pointed out that the additional nine-meter road being used was not included in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report or the terms outlined by the Expert Appraisal Committee.
In response to the ongoing protests, Vedanta Sesa Goa Workers Union President Atmaram Tilve warned that if the blockades continued, union members would take to the streets. Tilve emphasized that transportation of ore during the night had occurred previously without any protest, and he expressed frustration over the recent disruptions.
“We will meet with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, MLAs Premendra Shet and Chandrakant Shetye to address the ongoing blockades of ore-laden trucks at Pilgao,” Tilve said. “After more than 12 years, mining operations have resumed, and it is unfortunate that some individuals are attempting to block this process.”
