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Check out
http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/2008/03/police-repression-yet-again-in-colamb.html
for the latest in ther subversion of the will of the people of Colamb
Twenty one Colamb villagers were picked up by Police at the instruction of
Deputy Collector Johnson Fernandes from the Khodidas Hiralal mining site at
4.00 pm today March 25, 2008. The villagers were protesting the granting of
permission to use the road for transportation of Ore through Forest by Forest
department.
16 male constables and 6 lady constables engaged to arrest 16 Women and 5 men.
Women were picked up by male constables – manhandled with some women
complaining missing of their gold ornaments on their bodies during the scuffle
with the police on the mining site. Joint mamlatdar of Sanguem Amol Gaonkar,
Sanguem Police Inspector Ramesh Gaonkar, Quepem Police Inspector Naresh Mhamel
and Deputy Supritendent of Police Patre were other senior officers that acted
to facilitate the arrests of the Colamb villagers.
Colamb villagers that are taken at the Quepem Police Station for the purpose of
arrests are as follows: Purso Gaonkar, Vipoda Goankar, Arjun Velip, Sitaram
Velip, Chandrakand Gaonkar, Andrew Antao, Salu Dias, Egyps D'Souza, Telu Dias,
Jerone Fernandes, Jaya Raikar, Rasika Goankar, Zayu Gaonkar, Vitem Velip,
Chandrakala Goankar, Sulaksha Goankar, Prashanti Velip, Palmira Fernandes,
Dumen D'Souza, Sunita Gaonkar, Shaobavati Amolkar, Celina Dias, Milagrine Antao
and Consi Antao.
According to the reports, as soon as people were removed the mining site and
put into police vehicles – to be taken at the Quepem Police Station - mining
company started transportation of Ore through forest with its trucks.
Earlier in the day mining company - Fomentos was stopped from opening of the
road for transporting the Iron Ore at 10.00 am. Mining company then was
provided police protection under the supervision of Quepem PI and the officer
of the rank of deputy collector to make the arrests at 4.00 pm.
The road that was opened up by the mining company through forest route was
stopped by the villagers as the mining activity negatively affected their
agriculture and water sources due to siltation of field and drying up of
natural springs.
One of the villagers Rama Velip along with Dr. Avadooth Prabhudessai and Goa
Foundation had gone to the High Court on this issue. High Court admitted the
petition on March 10 2008, though it did not grant any interim relief for
closure of the mine.
The case came up for the hearing again on March 24 2008 when the affidavits
were filed before the court by Department of Mines and Geology, Forest
department, and mining company Hiralal Khodidas. Forest department produced the
letter of permission for the use of controversial road for the mining company
signed by Conservator of Forests dated March 20 2008.
This letter is clear indication as to the extend to which the Forest department
and the mining company are hands in gloves with. It took just 10 days to get
the road for mining purpose though the forest land! This is indeed amazing
considering that even after 5 years and 33 hearings forest department is yet to
file its affidavit in Soiru Sawant's case.
Here is the text of the letter the Office of the conservator of Forests,
Maratha Samaj Building, Vivekaand Road, Panaji dated March 20 2008 bearing No.-
6 – 13(174) -97 – FD and addressed to the Deputy conservator of forest, South
Goa, Margao with the Subject 'Permission for use of Forest Road passing through
survey no 72 of village Colomba of Sanguem Taluka of South Goa & Survey no. 2
of Curpem Village':
Ref: 1) Your letter no. 6/439/SGF/2007-08/3098 dated 19/03/2008
2) Your letter no. 6/439/SGF/2007-08/3013 dated 13/03/2008
With reference to the above cited subject and your letters and as recommended
by you, permission is herewith granted to use a stretch of 400 meters Long
Forest Road of about 6 meters in width passing through the survey no.72 of
Colomba Village and survey no.2 of Curpem Village in Sanguem Taluka for
transportation of ore by M/S Hiralal Khodidas from T.C. no. 06/49 in survey no.
51/1, 68, 71, of Colomba village.
This permission is given to avoid transportation of Ore by trucks through
narrow road passing through a cluster of dwelling houses in village which
causes heavy pollution and is opposed by the villagers.
The permission to use Forest Road is subject to the following conditions.
1) Payment for the cost of fencing on either side of the road and erection of
gate at the start of the road.
2) Payment of wear and tear of the road as demanded by the department.
3) Salary of the two field staff to be deputed for protection.
4) No transport should be carried out after sunset and before sunrise.
5) Realizing charges for using the road at the rate of Rs. 20,000/- per month.
6) Department reserves the right to close the road at any time without further
notice.
7) Using the road does not give any right to the lease holder or its
continuance.
8) No development of road should be carried out.
9) Usage of road may be allowed till 15th of June 2008.
10) No ore from forest is transported and the mines department has renewed the
lease and the lease is valid.
This has the approval of competent authority.
Sd/- on 20/03/08
(C.A. Reddy) IFS,
Conservator of Forests,
&
I/C Chief conservator of Forest
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The nexus of the mining company with the power structures is amply visible from
this letter. Margao office of the Forest Department recommends the road and
Conservator of Forest does the formality of giving it the seal of approval and
authority. And in Goa we in the 48th year of Goa's so called Liberation. The
Liberation will come to Goa only when the mining industry is dismantled. Colamb
is showing Goa the way ahead. Let's express our Solidarity with Colamb people's
struggle for creating a just society.
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