Team Herald
BICHOLIM: Environmentalists alleged that Vedanta was illegally transporting e-auctioned iron ore with the blessings of the State government as the activity continued in Pilgao for the second consecutive day on Saturday, with the farmers refusing to divulge their next plan of action.
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Environmentalist Ramesh Gauns said, “I don’t know in whose public interest the Chief Minister has allowed transportation on main roads that too, both day and night hours. There cannot be night transportation because the High Court had already stated in its order not to allow transportation of ore laden trucks beyond 6 pm.”
Gauns said, “Also the Supreme Court has ruled that the right to sleep is a fundamental right and if movement of trucks are allowed at night then the fundamental right of the residents will be affected and their sleep would be disturbed. Also who will be the monitoring authority at night is not known.”
“The mining company is illegally transporting e-auctioned iron ore with the blessings of the State government. In the environment impact assessment (EIA) report, the company had stated that it had a dedicated route to transport ore, while the road currently used by the company was also not mentioned in the Environmental Clearance (EC) granted to the company,” Gauns alleged.
He further said that the mining company is assuring compensation amounting to crores of rupees to affected farmers from Pilgao but the hapless farmers are unaware about the deduction by the Income Tax Department after they receive the compensation.
He said that the farmers and villagers have decided to file an intervention application in the High Court of Bombay on Monday, December 16. The intervention application will be filed to the petition filed by the Vedanta Sesa Goa company and the truckers association.
Nilesh Karbotkar, farmer, said that the company is currently transporting ore illegally. The company is using the main road because the entire government machinery is with them.
“When we met the Bicholim Deputy Collector and the Director of Mines and Geology they told us that they have not allowed the company to use the road. It is only with the Chief Minister’s blessing the company has started ore transportation on weekends,” said Karbotkar.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has convened a meeting of Pilgao farmers, villagers and retrenched workers at his Sankhali residence at 10 am on Sunday, December 15.
