Team Herald
BICHOLIM: The no holds barred stand-off between mining truck owners and mining giant Vedanta Ltd still referred to and known as Sesa Goa, is escalating to a point of no return.
The Bicholim Truck Owners Association on Tuesday stopped mining transport carried out independently by Sesa Goa workers at Pilgao, Bicholim.
Truck owners sat on the road at Pilgao when mining company workers began transporting ore from Pilgao to Sarmanas Tuesday afternoon. This resulted in an argument and a scuffle in which some workers were injured. The injured were later taken to hospital.
Speaking to the media, a worker Bala Khan Ghori said that since the ore was stacked it was necessary to transport it and so the workers decided to do it using company trucks.
“We had hopes that the truck owners association and the government would come up with some solution by January 1 and since there is no work we are constantly living under the threat of lay-off. When we tried to transport the ore the truck owners stopped us and also assaulted some of the workers,” Ghori said.
“The company is talking about adopting the policy of no-work no-pay and we can’t live without a salary. The truck owners should also take into consideration our situation and support us,” he said.
Condemning the incident, Vedanta-Sesa Goa said that e-auctioned ore transportation rates are offered as fixed by the Mines department. “We have tried to in complete faith abiding by the law to carry on transportation of e-auctioned cargo to keep business going. But agitating faction is taking law into its hand,” an official spokesperson of Sesa Goa said.
“In Bicholim e-auctioned ore movement started by Sesa employees’ trucks as the truckers refused to start transportation. One person by the name of Subhash Kinnelkar from Mayem who is also truck association treasurer, started instigating agitated truckers sitting on the roadside. Thereafter there was a collision between truckers and our employees. Three of our employees were assaulted and injured,” a spokesperson of Vedanta-Sesa Goa said.
Earlier the spokesperson said that to express grit and determination to commence transportation, employees would form a human chain of around 500 people from Matt Vadda junction in Bicholim to Sarmanas jetty, an area of 1.5 km public road to facilitate the transportation and safeguard their livelihood. Several rounds of talks with Bicholim Truck Owners association did not yield results.
—-
Violent turn to agitation, Ponda police arrest two
PONDA: As the ore transportation issue was not resolved it took a violent turn for the third time on the Amona Codli route Tuesday evening. Police arrested two truck drivers for damaging the windshield of two trucks by pelting stones.
The incident took place when ore-laden trucks were proceeding towards the Amona Sesa Plant from the Codli mines.
Police arrested truck owners Hanumanth Vadal (30) from Tisk Usgao and Swetesh Shashioant Naik (24) from Chavdi Bhamai Pali in connection with the damage of two trucks at Usgao.
It is learnt that seven trucks transporting ore were damaged by agitating truck owners at Amona Codli route. AGTOA president Nilkanth Gawas and several truck owners were gathered late evening at Ponda police station where the two arrested truck owners were held.
—
Truck owners refuse to transport ore
Say Vedanta failed to honour promises made on Monday
PONDA: All Goa Truck Owners Association that was hoping to start ore transportation on Tuesday changed its mind as Vedanta-Sesa Goa did not honour the promises made on Monday.
The AGTOA president said Vedanta officials on Tuesday told them the demand would be considered once ore transportation commenced, while AGTOA remained firm that they will not allow Vedanta to transport ore and will commence transportation only after all conditions are fulfilled.
Truck owners will meet on Wednesday morning at Vadkade to decide their future course of action. They have also decided to discuss the issue with the Chief Minister.
