Team Herald
BICHOLIM: There’s no end to the stalemate over ore transportation in Pilgao just yet. A meeting held on Monday to discuss extending the timing for ore-carrying trucks was met with strong opposition from villagers, farmers and local panchayat members, who have made it clear they will not allow any changes to the current schedule.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
With night-time ore transport having been halted following the blockades, authorities proposed extending the daytime hours for transportation from 5.30 am to 10 pm. Currently, the trucks run from 8 am to 5 pm with breaks in between. However, villagers and local farmers, along with members of the Pilgao panchayat, expressed their firm opposition to the proposal, citing the disturbances caused by night-time transport, including excessive noise pollution that disrupts their sleep.
The meeting, attended by Bicholim Deputy Collector and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Rohan Kaskar, Mayem MLA Premendra Shet, Bicholim Mamlatdar Pravind Gawas, as well as representatives from the Truck Owners Association and Sesa Mining Company.
Rajaram alias Satish Gaonkar, a leader from the Truck Owners Association of Sesa Mining, raised concerns about the difficulties faced by truckers, particularly due to the blockades.
He appealed to the authorities to extend the daytime hours, explaining that the current timing limits the number of trips that truckers can make each day.
A representative from the mining company echoed these concerns, urging the authorities to revise the timing to allow for more efficient transportation. Both MLA Shet and Deputy Collector Kaskar assured that the issues would be raised with the government for further deliberation.
Despite the authorities’ reassurances, the villagers remained adamant in their opposition. Pilgao residents, including Sunil Sawant, called for the mining company to strictly adhere to the transportation timings set in the Environmental Clearance (EC) conditions. Sawant emphasized that the government should redirect transportation to Matwada, Pilgao, as specified in the EC conditions, instead of using the main road.
Anil Salekar, another villager, criticised the truckers for demanding an extension of the timings without considering the hardship faced by the villagers. “How can they ask for additional time and use the main road for transportation? The mining company is violating the EC conditions with the government’s approval, and there should be another public hearing,” he said.
