MINING TRUCK KILLS A 28 YEAR OLD AT KAKUMODDI

QUEPEM: Another gruesome fatal accident and an alleged cover up, apathy and insensitiveness by the authorities had locals up in arms and threatening retribution and prolonged agitation against speeding mining trucks, on Wednesday evening.

Satrdekar surrounded my an irate mob at the accide

But locals said that “these incidents are becoming a regular feature in these parts, and nothing ever gets done as after some time the anger settles and it is back to business as usual.”

This time, at around 4 p.m. at Kakumoddi about 2 km from Curchorem, a motorcyclist, Mr Sapnel Xeldekar from Xeldem - Quepem was killed on the spot after being hit by a mining truck proceeding to the Curchorem unloading point.

The incident happened after a motorcyclist brushed with a speeding mining truck, lost control, and hit Mr Xeldekar, who was proceeding on a motorcycle to Curchorem, he subsequently was caught under another mining truck. Locals alleged that Curchorem police came on the site at around 4.30 p.m. and without any formalities removed the body from the road leading to objections from people gathered around.

What upset the people even more was that the fire brigade was called in by the police to wash the road of the blood marks and the police were seen busy clearing the road so that the mining traffic could restart, and according to them without any panchanama being conducted. Incensed people blocked the traffic and demanded to know why the police had removed the body without conducting the panchanama. When clarifications were demanded, after more than 2 hours of dilly-dallying, the police showed them a copy of the panchanama, which people found to be full of faults and not conducted as per the procedure.

“This accident will not be the last one, and the only solution to avoid further accidents is to have a mining bypass at the earliest,” Mr Christanand Pednekar told media, alleging that the demands of the people had not woken up the Chief Minister Mr Digambar Kamat as yet, and the only way to wake him up was “to have a total bandh at Curchorem till their demands were met.”

Mr Pednekar also alleged that some of the shopkeepers and even some of the families residing by the road were paid monthly funds to silence them.

Arguing that it’s time to think about each other rather than thinking of selfish short term gains, he charged that when someone tried to do something for the people on this mining menace, they were being branded as goons and all sort of false rumors were spread to spoil their reputation.

Ms Soccorina Goes alleged that “this stretch of road (where this accident occurred) does not even have street lights and when the empty mining trucks speed on that road at night 2 wheelers face great difficulty in navigating there.”

She also alleged that although there were High Court guidelines that the mining traffic should stop at 6 p.m., there was no one to regulate the same and every day the mining trucks were plying even after 8.30 p.m., and expressed her displeasure against the regulating authorities who “are forced to close their eyes to let the mining lobby carryout their business.”

Later the Churchorem MLA, Mr Shyam Satardekar arrived on the accident spot and listened to all the details narrated by the people, and tried to calm the people down.

Mr Satardekar announced that Rs 5 lakhs would be given to the next of kin of the deceased; he said that Rs 2 lakh would be given by the government, whereas remaining Rs 3 lakh would be given by the mining company.

He also said that all mining traffic would be stopped till the family received the compensation and assured that action would be taken against the police inspector, Mr Bhanudas Dessai.

Meanwhile, the Convener of Quepem Taluka Mining Affected People Front, Mr Fredrick Pereira condemned the act of Mr Dessai and said that “if the top officials try to shield the mining lobby then the aam admi will have no voice to express their grievances.”

Mr Pereira also alleged that since the mining traffic commenced from Quepem town, the mining trucks were not following the 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. break which was as per the guidelines of the High Court to facilitate the school children to reach safely home and that there was no one to monitor the mining traffic in the evening, which was plying even late in the evening past 7.30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Mr Shivaji Xetkar lamented that “the mining lobby is acting like there is no tomorrow to make money, but pointed out that most of the truck owners, truck drivers and transport contractors have children and asked “what use is the money if their own children might be caught in the accident some day?” (NT)