PRESS NOTE 12/08/2010
Curchorem Ganv Rakhon Manch demands that the proposed 4-lane road be scrapped and the land acquisition be de-notified forthwith. The locals will hold a token one day fast on the Independence Day in front of Curchorem Municipality from 9 am onwards to remind the Chief Minister, PWD minister and the Dy. Collector of the representations submitted by the Manch and that they must have act with seriousness and with urgency. Four-wheeler traffic (non-mining) on Tilamol-Cotarli road is 30-50 vehicles/hour against the two-lane road capacity of 150 vehicles/hour. The existing road can suffice for next 20 years. The mining traffic is not supposed to ply on this road after the miners pay Rs 500 cr to PWD to build bypass roads. Thus the widening is ploy by mining politicians to fool people and to continue and even increase mining traffic through the heart of Curchorem. Since the road is for mining, it is not public purpose. Acquiring land under the guise of public purpose is illegal. Spending public money for the benefit of rich miners is unjust. Curchorem is the 5th most populated municipality of Goa with a population of 30,000. Kakoda Health Centre and two major hospitals (Dr. Sonu Kamat and Dr. Satish Kudchadkar) are on this road. 10000 students from 12 schools, an ITI and a polytechnic commute on this road. No where in the world dirty cargo like iron ore is hauled through the heart of such a town; not even in Bihar. The government is well aware of the air and noise pollution and traffic hazards mining traffic causes. If CM conducts proper study, Curchorem bypass will get the highest priority. Concerned medicos Dr Anil Hari Prabhudessai, Dr Sonu Kamar, Dr Snnanda Bhangui, Dr Satish Kudchadkar, Dr Atchut Kakodkar, Dr Seema Divani, Dr Bhisso Shetgaokar have claimed- High incident of people affected by dust and noise causing bronchial, lung, ear related problems/diseases. Such patients are on a rise for the last few years due to addition of people in Kakumoddi, Bansai getting affected. Ailments reoccur after treatment and recovery proving that the dust and noise level in the air is high due to mining traffic. People staying 10km away from the road also show lung problems. This could be due to the dust carried by the wind. Mining dust is already a chronic problem for the society. After widening there will be more mining traffic, pollution and ailments which are already at alarming levels in Curchorem and its surroundings. The government has no right to jeopardize the life of people. The land losers will be subjected to immense losses in many ways. Many people would lose houses, shops, compounds, trees, Crosses, Tulsi-vrindavans, and parking spaces. Housing society FAR/FSI will get reduced and value of flats will get reduced. At the time of reconstruction two bedroom flat will become one bedroom flat. The members will fight. Making poor people lose for the benefit of miners is injustice. Manch also demands that steps be taken to give people solace from pollution during the next mining season. Pollution problems are caused due to exploitation of truck owners by the miners. Manch demands: Increase the freight paid to truck owners by 30% and stop paying politicians. This will help truck owners to take care of spillage. Miners will not lose much if they give Rs 50 per ton extra to truck owners from their profit of Rs 3000 per ton. Also create Provident Fund for truck owners to protect their investment if China demand slackens. This PF should be contributed by miners and government.
