RESIDENTS POLARISED ON MINING
SURESH NAIK
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CURCHOREM:It is common sight to find groups of people converging at short notice in many parts of Curchorem constituency.
They invariably meet to take part in morchas, strikes, dharnas and road blockade agitations, to protest against the ill-effects of mining in the constituency.
Much of life in Curchorem constituency revolves around mining activities and this has polarised residents on the issue. Aspiring legislators are acutely aware of tensions surrounding mining activities, but no one is willing to resolve the issue for fear of antagonising the other group.
Curchorem constituency comprises the Curchorem-Cacora municipal area, Assolda and Xeldem, and two wards of Quepem Municipal Council – Shirvoi and Pedamol.
The two major problems faced by residents of Curchorem constituency are heavy dust pollution and road blockades due to mining traffic.
The Mission Bypass Forum was constituted to demand a bypass road and even resorted to various agitations to pressurise the government for the bypass road. Responding to the protests, the government moved the file, but work on bypass road is yet to move an inch.
The bypass is a key issue for residents, given the unprecedented rise in mining trucks, with hundreds of mining trucks from Sanguem and Quepem talukas proceeding towards sites in Curchorem.
Due to constant traffic jams in the market area, customers stay away from the area and this has severely affected local businessmen. Buses too have changed their regular routes to avoid traffic congestion.
Besides causing blockades, mining traffic is also responsible for many road mishaps in and around Curchorem.
“A mining bypass would have solved most problems faced by residents of Curchorem constituency,” explained social activist Shailesh Sanzgiri.
Curchorem constituency has also lagged behind in tourism and employment to youth, something that ticket aspirants would want to focus in their election manifestos.
“There are many places, like Nanda Lake in Cacora, which can be turned into tourism sites. This could, in turn, provide employment to unemployed youth. There is an urgent need to open centers to guide the educated unemployed on different trades and business avenues,” he added.
