According to the reports reaching from Colamb, Sanguem group of villagers in defence of land and agriculture have march to the to the Fomento open cast mine in TC no 6 of 1949. Police has not reached reache but the mining company's goons have decended on the scene. Here is a bacgkground note for this incident:-
We are towards the end of the third week of 2008, and yet memories and heroic struggles that pitched at new heights in 2007 in Colamb Sanguem, Goa is only too fresh in our minds. One particular mining company that attracted people’s wrath has been the Fomentos; though its mines under lease TC No. 6 of 1949 covering 70.1870 hectares granted by colonial State of Portugal to Hiralal Khodidas continues its operation till, signs of discontents are increasing day by day and it is only a matter of time before the industry and the Government of Goa and India are forced to rethink India’s mineral policy that is currently nothing more than dig, wash and sell to China (Earlier in the decades of 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s it was Japan). The mining industry through its agent Fomentos have been involved in massive scale torments and insult to the dignity of Colamb villagers - many of them adivasis. Mining has badly destroyed their agriculture, ripped apart their shelter like the case of Devki KatuVelip, and so many other mischief such as siltation of water bodies and agricultural lands, drying up of natural water springs, unbearable sound pollution due to machinery operated in Open Cast Iron Ore mine, subversion of democratic institutions like letting the mining company operate weigh bridge without permission and the list could go on endless. Colamb village is at the crossroads. Mining industry with its 22 mining leases seeks to gallop 1510 hectares of Colamb's total land of 1929 hectares. The total land that remains is 419 hectares, which with all probability will be covered with mining rejects. That means mining industry in Colamb alone is going to create additional over 2000 ecological refugees. Industry here seeks to repeat what it has done in north Goa’s villages such as Pale and Pissurlem. Fomentos like other mining companies such as Chowgules, Sesa Goa, Dempos, Damodar Mangaljis, and Salgaoncars have been highly generous in chopping down mountains, disrupting agriculture besides introducing alcoholism and goondaism in mining intensive villages. A locality like Sanvordem has given rise to mafia though in its nascent stage is brought to Colamb to quell the protestors. Of course not to speak of monetary allurements offered to the villagers along with offers of pouring funds in the religious activities including constructions of religious structures. Colamb villagers under these circumstances are left with difficult choice: either perish or stand in rebellion. -- www.mandgoa.blogspot.com MAND An adivasi-rights resource centre, An initiative of Gawda, Kunbi, Velip, and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED) "Hari Smriti" 381, Dhulapi, Corlim, Ilhas, Goa. Pincode: 403 110 _________________________________________________________________ Post free property ads on Yello Classifieds now! www.yello.in http://ss1.richmedia.in/recurl.asp?pid=219
