SIRSAIM: The quarry operator Anand Salgaokar has denied allegations that he is excavating mud illegally in property bearing survey no 20/1 at Conxim, Sirsaim.
Salgaokar told Herald that he has permission from the Directorate of Mines and Geology to carry out excavation of murrum in survey no 20/1 and has also paid the fees and royalty in advance.
A sign board is placed at the site giving details of the lease. It was issued in 2010, later renewed and the validity of the lease is from September 10, 2018 to September 9, 2023.
Anand Salgaokar provided Herald with the quarry lease deed copy and work order issued by Surface Transport Ministry, Government of India to Venkata Rao Infra Projects Pvt Ltd. They have further issued work order to Avinash Bhobe for red soil filling with compaction for construction of four-lane NH 17 from Karaswada to Bambolim in the State.
“I have permissions and quarry lease to carry out excavation of murrum in the said leased property of 9,000 sq mts. Section 109 of the Panchayat Act 1994 states that if work is being carried out by the government or with the permission of the government then the panchayat shall not take any action unless and until the Director of Mines and Geology decides to do so,” Salgaokar said.
The contractor, Avinash Bhobe in his reply to a ‘stop work’ notice issued to him by the Sirsaim Panchayat said that the murrum is being transported and used for the National Highway project and this activity is being carried out legally after obtaining the permissions and prepayment of pass for transportation.
On Monday, Sirsaim Sarpanch Anand Temkar, members of Goencho Avaaz and Revolutionary Goans had raised a strong concern over the alleged blatant and massive hill cutting being undertaken in the No Development Slope (NDS) area at Conxim, Sirsaim over the last one week. They also claimed that the hill comes under the eco-sensitive zone 1.
The flying squad visited the site on Sunday and conducted panchanama and asked the contractor to furnish them with the documents and permissions.
Salgaokar informed that, on verbal instruction of Sirsaim talathi, they submitted the lease copy to the mamlatdar, on Monday. “There is no such zone as No Development Slope demarcated for mining activity,” added.
