PANJIM: The transportation of e-auctioned iron ore by the mining companies has come to a standstill due to stiff opposition by the villagers of Mayem and Pilgao in Bicholim taluka.
Arguing on behalf of the villagers, Adv Norma Alvares brought to the notice of the High Court the hardships faced by the villagers due to the transportation of ore through village roads and highlighted the Office Memorandum of the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) that iron ore should not be transported through village roads because of noise pollution and hardships caused to the villagers.
The petitioners stated that the decision of the Directorate of Mines and Geology allowing transportation of iron ore through the Mayem village road from May 2020, was in violation of the guidelines issued by MOEF&CC.
The High Court was hearing a miscellaneous civil application filed by the Surakshit Distributors Pvt Ltd seeking to transport e-auctioned iron ore through the Pilgao village road in Bicholim. Vedanta Ltd was the first to win iron ore mines in the State but the villagers have opposed transportation of e-auctioned ore.
After the hearing, Adv Ajay Prabhugaonkar and Mulakh Khajan Farmers Association, Mayem, general secretary Sakharam Pednekar, said that the villagers are ready for a scientific study at ground level. The scientific study was suggested by Advocate General Devidas Pangam, they said, adding that it will bring to light how the farmers suffered and the water resources affected due to reckless mining.
In January, the High Court had permitted mining companies to transport only 50 trucks per day as against 230 trucks which were plying though the village roads.
The transportation timings were also fixed as from 10 am to 12 noon and from 2 pm to 5 pm.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam will now make his submission in the Court on Thursday.
