With over 350-odd villagers from Sonshi village in Sattari crying for clean air and water for over a fortnight now, the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has finally intervened to resolve their crisis, directing the mining lease holders to adopt adequate measures to ensure that there is least pollution in the village.

Parrikar, who held the meeting with the officials of Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG), Public Works Department (PWD) and lease holders on the issue of transportation of ore from the village, has also asked the mining firms to provide employment to all the 108 trucks owned by the villagers.

As many as 45 villagers including women, have been locked in Colvale central jail for last 12 days, after they blocked the transportation of ore. Their kids are marching on Valpoi police station for the release of their parents. The Bombay High Court at Goa and the Goa Human Rights Commission, has taken serious note of the people’s plight, while directing various State government agencies to submit their replies on the matter.

During the meeting, prima facie Parrikar felt that though appropriate measures to minimise pollution caused due to transportation in the village are in place from the mining firms, further reduction of pollution levels as also mitigation measures in the interest of villagers residing along the transportation route are required.

He said that the people residing in the areas, should not be affected with any of the mining activities. The transportation of ore has to be done in such a manner that it does not create nuisance for the people residing in the locality.

The CM has directed that immediate steps are to be initiated for installation of geo net fencing along the road in the vicinity of residential areas of the village. Also the installation of cat-eye and other road delineation measures are to be carried out along mining route passing through the village.

The lease holders are been directed to install speed breakers on top priority at strategic places so as to replace the existing speed breakers/ humps with due NOC from PWD. It is also been asked to install wheel washing system at strategic places on priority basis.

It was pointed out that whilst vehicles pass on untarred shoulders, thus resulting into dust pollution. Hence there is need that the shoulders of the existing road are to be tarred immediately with necessary cooperation from PWD at the cost of mining companies.

Team TNV