-- Samir Umarye
BICHOLIM, FEB 12: The hearing on the transportation of ore through Bicholim city was postponed till March 11, after the residents opposed the suggestions of the legal consultant representing the truck owners. The hearing on the transportation of iron ore through Bicholim city was scheduled at the Deputy Collector’s office in Bicholim on Monday. The residents at the hearing opposed the remedy suggested by Adv Sawaikar, who defended the truck owners that the issue needs to be settled amicably, even as all the mining trucks were prohibited from plying through the Bicholim city until the next hearing. The residents at the hearing stated that transportation of ore through Bicholim city has become a dangerous affair as far as safety and health of the residents is concerned. The residents also suggested that the mining lobby or the truck owners should construct its own road to transport ore, which will be carried out till 2029 as per the permission granted to the truck owners by the government. In his attempt to support the truck owners, Adv Sawaikar said that no one can stop transport mining plying through public roads. However, the residents did not pay any heed to his request. PSI Terrence Vaz also put forth his defence as far as public law is concerned. Deputy Collector D H Kenawdekar tried to pacify the residents as tempers began to rise. A large police force was deployed at the deputy collector’s office to avoid any untoward incident. President of Bicholim Nagarik Kruti Samiti MLA Rajesh Patnekar, Bicholim Municipal Council Chairperson Satish Gaonkar, Councillors Bhagwan Harmalkar and Kamlakar Teli, former councillors Rajan Kadkade, Shashikant Naik Halarnkar, Naresh Kadkade and hundreds of people from Bicholim were present at the hearing.
