Team Herald
MARGAO: Sao Jose de Areal villagers on Sunday demanded that coal dust pollution from Goa Carbon Ltd be stopped immediately.
The members stressed on the need to maintain the hillocks in the village and demanded that extraction of black metal been stopped immediately.
However, the panchayat declared that as far as extraction of black metal is concerned, he will not allow any illegality to be perpetuated and assured the villagers that legal extraction will be permitted as the house was clearly divided over the matter.
Freddy Travasso and Nelson Mascarenhas alleged that the Curtorim Comunidade had clandestinely auctioned hillocks in Sao Jose de Areal without informing the villagers.
“Announcements of the auction were made at Maina and Curtorim Churches and not Sao Jose de Areal church,” they pointed out.
Further, they said the Curtorim Comunidade had claimed that it does not own any land in Sao Jose de Areal and if that was the case, they sought to know what land they had auctioned to extract the black metal.
Sarpanch Perris da Costa, who was one of the bidders at the auction, argued that since the raw material was available in the village the villagers had a right to extract it and earn from the same. However, he assured to make the extractors adhere to all the terms and conditions laid down by the panchayat and the comunidade.
Around eight villagers, who supported the commencement of the extraction, walked in front and stalled the proceedings for around 20 minutes. They demanded that they be permitted to earn a living by extracting the black metal legally.
“Why should we get the metal from other parts when it is freely available in our village? Either allow us to extract our natural resources or ban even import of the metal from other parts,” they demanded.
Incidentally, Curtorim Comunidade has auctioned 18 plots admeasuring around 5000 square metres to various people including sarpanch Perris da Costa. Five of the persons, who won the bid the auction, have also applied for permission to store explosives to be used to extract the black metal.
The auction was conducted in February this year following announcements in Maina and Curtorim churches and not at Sao Jose de Areal. The auction was advertised in the daily “Bhangar Bhuim” dated February 15.
The Sarpanch sought a division during which 14 voted for continuing the excavation while 32 voted against the extraction and in favour of preserving the hillocks in the village. Stating that majority had voted against extraction, the sarpanch said he would not allow any illegality.
The villagers objected to the storage of explosives in the village as licenses have been granted to store explosive material in two plots in the village, which apparently belong to the comunidade but have been leased out to people to extract the black metal.
Earlier, there was much discussion on coal dust pollution by Goa Carbon Ltd and the villagers lamented that the factory has not yet given them a demonstration of the dust pollution measures they have taken. While clarifying that they did not want the factory to be shut down, they demanded that the pollution be stopped immediately.
The Sarpanch disclosed that the management had suggested that the effect of the new machinery will be seen only after the rains wash the dust settled on houses and trees. The villagers complained that the new dust was too fine and more dangerous.
