LOCALS OF PANCHWADI OPPOSE MINING ROAD

MARGAO: In what appears to be blatant disregard for environmental laws and ecological concerns, the PWD has invited tenders for construction of a 10.5 km road from Codli to Panchwadi cutting through thick cashew plantations, orchards, khazan lands and paddy fields.

This, in gross violation of the directives of the Goa coastal zone management authority (GCZMA) to the PWD to withdraw the tender notice as the proposed road work doesn't have the mandatory CRZ clearance.

Significantly, it is learnt that the road doesn't serve any public purpose and is being built solely to facilitate transportation of mineral ore to a mining jetty proposed to be constructed by a mining company.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Panchwadi villagers, rallying under the banner of the Panchwadi Bachao Samiti (PBS), denounced the moves of the government to construct "an illegal private mining road for a mining company through the middle of our village under the guise of public purpose."

PBS president, Christev D'Costa, addressing reporters, pointed out to a letter written to the PWD by the GCZMA directing it to withdraw the tender notice and stop all further action in the matter.

"The CRZ authority has confirmed that the land earmarked for the stacking and loading of iron ore lies within CRZ-I, with dense mangrove forests, and that the PWD does not possess valid CRZ clearances for the works," D'Costa said.

D'Costa also pointed out to a letter written by the director of mines and geology, Arvind Lolienkar, to the PWD, stating that the proposed road doesn't come under the purview of the steering committee for mining bypasses headed by the state's chief secretary. "By attempting to build a so-called mining bypass road without involving the department of mines and geology, or obtaining the sanction of the steering committee, the PWD has openly displayed its ill-intentions," D'Costa said.

"The fact is that the proposed 10.5 km long road doesn't connect to any village road, district road or state highway in Panchwadi. It directly leads to a riverside plot where (a mining company) has proposed to construct a mining jetty. We fail to understand why the government is so keen to acquire land and construct a road for the mining company," Durgesh Shisany, secretary of the PBS, said. (TNN)