TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Residents of Corjuem, Sinaibag and Monzon in Curtorim village on Sunday have demanded an immediate stop to sand extraction and filling up of Khazan land at Corjuem.
Agitated residents held a meeting on the banks of the river from where the sand is extracted and dumped on the river banks. The residents have been opposing the activity on grounds that the heavy movement of traffic on the narrow road has made their life miserable since the commencement of the activity.
“It is only a matter of time before innocent lives are lost due the illegal movement of trucks”, remarked Domnick Pacheco, who claimed that heavy traffic plies on the narrow road 24 hours.
What has agitated the residents is that none of the authorities, including the police and Director of Mines have acted on their complaint till date by inspecting the site.
Pacheco contended that there’s not only illegal sand extraction when there’s ban across the State, but the khazan land has been illegally filled up to make way for the extracted sand.
Meanwhile, Pacheco informed that the residents contacted Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar after a person tried to stop a journalist from covering the meeting.
“The Chief Minister has asked us to meet him in Panjim to discuss the matter”, Pacheco added.
The residents were upset over the attitude of a miscreant, who warned a photo journalist of dire consequences if he dared to proceed to the venue of the meeting.
