Vedanta to put 254 mining trucks per hour on Bicholim Public roads?

 From:

Ramesh S. Gauns

Pajwada, Bicholim,

Goa

M: 9270085105

Date: 25 April 2024

To,

Director of Mines and Geology,

Government of Goa,

Panaji, Goa

Subject: use of public roads, village roads, district roads for mining transportation...regarding 

Sir,

It has come to our attention that your office is about to provide opinion to the Honorable Goa Bench of Bombay High Court in P.I.L. W.P No. 6 of 2024 recommending transportation of ore on Public Roads, Village roads, District road in Bicholim in order to facilitate Vedanta Limited Bicholim Block - I Mines ore transportation. 

We request you to kindly refrain from allowing such transportation. Transportation of ore to the rate of 120 trips per hour - as recorded in Vedanta limited letter dated 08 April 2024 to your office - would mean invasion of public roads with mighty reckless manner threatening road safety with impunity thereby violating 2022 Supreme Court directions on road safety. 

Environmental Clearance (EC) dated 23 January 2024 records at page 28 of 39 response from Vedanta Limited that total ore that will be transported per day is 12658 tonnes in 1205 trips per day and 127 trips per hour with total vehicles that will be put on road to and fro totaling 254 vehicles per hour. This is sure remedy for creation of a catastrophe for 237 days per year that you need to prevent. 

Moreover you are well advised to organise public consultations with affected people residing close to the vicinity of the roads before providing any permissions to use existing public roads, Village roads, city roads as well as district roads for transportation of ore at such such high rate as 120 trips per hour.

Vedanta Limited has claimed in response recorded in Environmental Clearance page 18 that they have 4.54 km of dedicated road and 0.94 km MDR-20 Public Road.

Directorate of Mines and Geology is not privileged to initiate violation of EC condition to make a mockery of EC. It's legitimacy is very vital by maitaining It's integrity.

Any irresponsible decision on your part would lead to the unpredictably dangerous consequences to the Public Health in Goa and your office will be held responsible and accountable in a fitting manner.

Therefore we assert once again: Please organise public consultations on the issue of granting road permits to transport ore from the Mines to Sarmanas Jetty with affected people of Bicholim Taluka prior to granting of any road permits to Ms Vedanta Limited.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

Ramesh S. Gauns

Time to shut down Goa Mines and Geology Department forever?

It has been revealed that due to callous attitude of Goa Department of Mines and Geology 223 Mulgao (Bicholim taluka) residential houses and village agriculture land has been included within the boundary of the mining lease. 

Paddy fields already witnessed meter and half thick layer of silt rendering cultivation of rice impossible just like Sirgao. Horticulture crops yields has drastically dropped just like Pissurlem. Water sources of the village like wells, springs, lakes has suffered terrible blow due to mining activities already by Dempo Mining Corporation and then by Sesa owned by Vedanta, London based corporate. For years together agriculture progressively ruined.

On August 11, 2023 Vedanta private limited carried on Public Hearing for this very mine (Block I Bicholim Mineral Block) to seek Environmental Clearance from Central Government that will be valid for 50 years like the mining lease!

Mining department officials know all this but it pretents deaf. The way irresponsibility of mining Department is increasing the only solution looks to be to shut it down permanently as it's stupidity has taken dangerous infinite proportion at corporate dictates.

Stupidity of Goa Department of Mines and Geology that is headed by Chief Minister himself is supervised by brahmin supremacy organisastion RSS with its headquarters at Nagpur. This headquarters -as a matter of fact - was shut down on October 06, 2022 after 2.5 lakh People marched to the office forcing exodus of all the inmates including its Supreme commander sarsanchalak. 

If mining industry continues its aggression then people of Goa will be compelled to take certain decisive steps against RSS and that means swelling the ranks of Bharat Mukti Morcha currently led by Waman Meshram.  Yet again Time for decisive action arrived. The powers that are committed to destroy Goa's agriculture and ecology through mining are of national and international nature. Consequently we need response that is not only local but also national and international in character. Let's explore further in this direction.