AGITATION PLANNED AGAINST MINING IN SONAL SATARI BY ANTI-MINING PANEL

VALPOI: Members of Anti-Mining Committee from Sonal village in Sattari are planning to launch an agitation against the renewal and grant of mining leases in their village, and have forwarded a memorandum of their objections to the Union Minister of Environment and Forest.

A meeting, held to discuss the future course of action against the proposed mining activities, drew a large number of villagers. According to the memorandum addressed to the minister, the villagers are totally against the mining activities.

It is said that as per the Regional Plan 2001, no mining zone was marked in Sonal and the village also comes under Mhadei wildlife sanctuary; in the proposed Regional Plan 2021, the areas in respect of the said mining leases are not shown in the mining zone.

It was also pointed out that the Mhadei river, which is the source of water for the people of Sattari and Goa in general, also passes through the proposed mining belt.  "We will not compromise at any cost as our land will be deteriorated if the mining activity is restarted," a group of villagers echoed at the meeting.

Villagers also expressed concern over the pollution, which will occur, and the filtrate which will pollute the nearby river. Mentioning that the government of Goa has spent crores of rupees on the water project of 5MLD at Dabos and water is being supplied to the 53 villages of Sattari taluka, the committee in its representation has said that "If at all the mining activities are taken up then the very water source meant for the supply of the drinking water to the villagers will be destroyed and government’s proposal of augmenting the water project further to 15 MLD will be a total failure."

President of AMC, Sonal, Mr Shridhar Kale and the villagers have strongly demanded for the cancellation of mining leases adding the village must be declared as mining-free zone. (NT)