MINE OWNERS WARNED BY SOUTH GOA COLLECTOR

MARGAO: The South Goa Collector, Mr G P Naik Tuesday warned mine owners not to test the people’s patience and said a day will come when all mining activity in the state will come to a standstill “and that day is not far away.”

Addressing a review meeting of mine owners in the Collectorate building Tuesday morning, Mr Naik said, “A major law and order problem is on the cards if the grievances of people living in mining areas are not addressed. It has become a do-or-die kind of a situation and the people will not listen; mining activity will come to a standstill.”

He said the people living in mining belt have some genuine problems like not being able to reach offices or homes in time, damages to their fields, compensation etc. These are small issues that need to be addressed, he said. “Don’t let the situation go out of hand,” the South Goa Collector warned the miners.

Mr Naik suggested that the mining traffic be regulated so that the locals have an easy access to basic amenities like roads and health centres. In the case of Cavrem, he said, the locals are frustrated with the traffic jams and he directed the three mines operating in the area to immediately acquire land for widening of Cavrem roads. He also directed the miners there not to park trucks on the shoulders of the road where it is narrow.

Talking tough, Mr Naik directed all mine owners to strictly follow the directions given and said that no mining trucks should be released from the mine heads before 8 am and after 4 pm. The Collector also asked the mine owners to come up with plan to regulate the traffic and even consider deploying trucks of bigger tonnage which would reduce the traffic on the roads. A miners’ representative informed the Collector that people had opposed the introduction of such trucks to which Mr Naik replied, “A proposal could be moved before the government to come out with a policy decision to increase the tonnage of the trucks.”

Pulling up the miners for their failure in submitting the mine boundaries and site management plans to their respective mamlatdars despite it being decided at meeting held in November, Mr Naik gave them a week’s time to submit the same.

Meanwhile, the District Collector and chairman of the South Goa District Disaster Management Authority has directed the mining companies to adopt all protective measures at the dumping sites, protective bunds and purification plants during the forthcoming monsoon.

In his order, Mr Naik has directed the mining companies not to discharge any effluents in the water course without processing the same and ensuring its safety for release. He also directed them to ensure that no water is polluted due to any mining-related activity in South Goa. He said the order has been passed under various sections of the Disaster Management Act, in order to avoid any untoward incident at any mining site in South Goa. “The order has been passed as a pro-active step towards protection of life, property and environment and does not discharge any managing body from their mandatory duties envisaged in various acts and rules in force in the state,” the order said.

Meanwhile, due to closure of schools for vacation, the District Magistrate, South Goa, has ordered relaxation of timing for mining trucks in Quepem and Sanguem talukas from April 21 to May 31 from 6 am to 6 pm. However, the loading at the mines shall be stopped at 4.45 pm. The other conditions remain unchanged. Similarly, the roads notified for mining trucks in mining sector in Usgao are between Usgao bridge to Suktolim (Dharbondora) and up to Digas bridge from April 21 to May 31 from 6 am to 6 pm.