-- Samir Umarye *PRESS RELEASE*] Sesa Goa and Lithoferro mines have been ordered to shut down mining operations, repair the nullah they destroyed and re-direct the water they diverted away from the nullah.
The SDM Bicholim has acted on a complaint filed by Advalpal villagers and Goa Foundation under section 133 Cr.PC. A show-cause notice on villagers’ complaints was originally issued on 25 May, 2006. The final order under Section 133 Cr.PC was issued on 16 April 2012. Lithoferro ordered to shut down mining operations which have impacted on the public nullah. The Police Inspector has been ordered to ensure that the mine working is forthwith stopped. Lithoferro mines are directed to pay the cost of rehabilitating the nullah diverted by them. They have been ordered to restore the water through the original nullah. Sesa Goa has been ordered to stop mining on Face III. (Faces I and 2 were already shut following High Court orders.) The Executive Engineer has been directed to ensure that no further disaster takes place at the nullah passing through the village. The villagers of Varchavadda and Kolamb had filed a detailed complaint against Sesa Goa, Lithoferro and Salgaoncar Mining Industries, alleging the mining operations which were being carried out on the hill behind their settlement had become a permanent danger to their lives and peace of mind. They had alleged widespread disruption of nullahs and creation of conditions leading to flooding. Following the complaint, the first notice to the companies was issued on 25 May 2006. Further during proceedings, a subsequent notice was sent to various authorities on 29 April 2008 asking for detailed technical reports. The apprehensions of the villagers came true when the village was flooded on 6 June, 2009 and mining debris and silt flowed into people’s homes. Thereafter, the SDM was transferred. Levinson Martins, the new SDM resumed hearing of the complaint based on High Court’s orders in writ petition filed by Akash Naik and Goa Foundation. Site inspection was carried out by the SDM on 4 April 2012. Pursuant to the site visit and examination of the reports from the various statutory authorities, the SDM (and Deputy Collector) has come to the finding “that the mining companies, i.e., M/s Lithoferro mines and M/s Sesa Goa have failed in providing adequate precautionary measures to prevent overflow of mining silt/dumps into the nullah passing through Advalpal village. "Further, the mining company M/s Lithoferro has indulged in mining in such a way that the very natural course of the original nullah is diverted which is further endangering the Advalpal Amthane nullah which was otherwise also endangered by M/s Sesa Goa mining activity at Phase III, besides due to their dumps at Phase I and Phase II, and therefore there is nuisance which is required to be regulated.”(Target Goa)
