VALPOI: Over 350 villagers of Sonshi-Sattari claim they have been denied the right of fresh air and water, as in the past few months, the village has been severely affected due to mining ore transportation, raising clouds of dust and drying up water bodies.
Their fate turned worse last week, when almost 45 villagers protesting the negligent approach of the mining companies and the government authorities, by blocking ore transportation, were held and have been in judicial lockup for the last five days at Colvale.
“The villagers survive on daily wages. In the absence of the person who works, as they are in jail for the past five days, the families are suffering,” Shantabai Gawadi, a senior citizen told Herald. She said there is no helping hand to the villagers.
Valpoi Police Inspector Dipak Pednekar said that all 45 persons were arrested for blocking transportation of ore carrying trucks. They have been charged with various sections of IPC, including forming of unlawful assembly and threatening the drivers of tucks.
Sources said that the local court has granted them bail but due the surety amounts to Rs 4.5 lakh, as it is Rs 10,000 per person. Due to this all 45, including 23 women, are still in jail.
The villagers admit that the transportation is legal, but claim that its impact on the residents and their environment has not been assessed by the authorities.
Villagers feel that they have been cheated by the mining companies which are transporting ore from the village. “There are six mining companies involved in transporting ore. They talk of compensation and employment to the villagers, but except for dust, the villagers have got nothing,” Sonshi resident Suraj Gawade said.
Sonshi houses 51 families with approximately 350 residents of which 22 families are migrants. Villagers claim that the migrant families enjoy the benefits doled out by the mining companies while they, the original residents, are denied compensation.
“We are facing a very bad time. The children are falling sick, have to walk long distances for drinking water and we are in tension because the school going kids have to take the mining transportation route to reach school,” said Ujwala Gawade, another villager.
“The people are anxious regarding the safety of their children on the road while they are on the way to school because of the speeding trucks”, she added.
Sandesh Gawade, a villager said there was a fleet of 500 mining trucks in 2008 which has now increased to 1000 trucks plying every day from Sonshi.
“The numbers of trucks are increasing day by day with additional transportation of ore. Due to this, we face major problems of dust pollution in our village,” Sandesh Gawade said.
Water bodies too have gone completely dry in the village due to mining, villagers state, adding that they have raised the issue before local MLA Pratapsingh Rane.
Speaking to Herald, Rane said, “It is the duty of the government to resolve the issue of the affected people. I will take up the issue as poor people are suffering.”
With his son, now a BJP minister and on the verge of getting the Health portfolio, the Ranes have no excuse but to address the dust pollution and sickness of children in their own turf of Sattari.
