-- Samir Umarye BICHOLIM JAN 19: The Bicholim MLA, Rajesh Patenkar and the people from Bicholim today vowed to indefinitely stop mining trucks plying from the city.
It may be recalled that the Bicholim MLA and the BMC councillors earlier through a press conference had called a meeting today at the BMC hall of all the people who were against mining trucks plying in the city. Since last four years, there has been constant agitations in the taluka in protest against the mining transportation. Besides trucks from Sirsaim, trucks proceeding from Maharastra, which enter the State, use the roads in Bicholim. The agitations have been sparked off mostly due to accidents, pollution, overloading of mining trucks and police authorities’ incompetence in keeping a check over mining. The agitations only led the traffic to stop for some time, which would resume after about two to three days. In view of this the Bicholim MLA had told that the problem should be solved once for all and a meeting to this effect was called today. About 100 people attended the meeting and expressed their displeasure over the mining traffic in the city. Some also suggested alternative suggestions while others asked to carry out a massive agitation involving all the people from Bicholim. The Bicholim MLA later told that the meeting was called to chalk out a final action plan and an action committee was formed to stop the mining plying from Bicholim. Speaking to media persons later Patnekar told that on Thursday they would submit a memorandum to the Deputy collector to this effect and would give an ultimatum of five days and from Tuesday all the mining trucks plying from Bicholim city would be stopped. "We have formed an action committee and have decided to stop all the mining trucks plying from Bicholim as it is posing danger to the life of the general public" Patnekar told. The BMC councillors, panch members of various panchayats and prominent persons from the city were present for the meeting.
