-- Samir Umarye *BICHOLIM*: Life came to a grinding halt due to a total bandh in Navelim-Bicholim on Monday, as residents demanded the closure of a pig iron plant in the village.
All schools, establishments, institutions, Government and semi-Government offices remained closed in Navelim, while agitating residents staged a protest rally from Navelim Panchayat to the company’s pig iron plant at Durigwada-Navelim. They raised slogans outside the company’s gate accusing the company of carrying out activities without obtaining clearances from the Pollution Control Board (PCB) and Central Ministry of Environment and Forests (CMEF). The agitators later returned to the panchayat, where Pale MLA Dr Pramod Sawant and Navelim Sarpanch Gopinath Gawas addressed a gathering. The sarpanch and villagers have refused to enter into any further talks with the company and have, instead, demanded the closure of the plant. Addressing the agitating residents, Sawant said the bandh was a total success as it was in the interest of the village. Former Pale MLA Pratap Gawas also spoke on the occasion. North Goa Collector Mihir Vardhan, who was present at the site, assured the agitators that no injustice would be done to them and added that action would be initiated against the company after an enquiry. Bicholim Deputy Collector Narayan Gaad, Bicholim Mamlatdar Chandrakant Shetkar, Joint Mamlatdar Gurudas Desai and other officials were also stationed in the village. A strong police force led by Bicholim Deputy Superintendent of Police Gajanan Prabhudesai and PI Ninad Deulkar was deployed to avert any trouble during the day-long bandh. It may be recalled that residents were upset after soot emanated from the pig iron plant at Navelim and alleged that the air pollution had caused them severe hardship in Durigwada, Bharoniwada, Pelwada and Katarwada in Navelim. Following a complaint, the PCB inspected the site but residents were unsatisfied with outcome of the PCB visit. A gram sabha was convened on Sunday and it was resolved to stage a bandh in the village on Monday.
