With monsoons fast approaching, Bicholim residents, especially those residing
near the mining area fear a repeat of the 2009 incident wherein they were
forced to evacuate on account of sludge entering into their houses following
heavy downpour.
It may be recalled that in 2009, a number of people were evacuated to safer
places as the sludge entered into around 60 houses and a temple at Poira,
Advalpal and Valshi in Bicholim taluka following heavy downpour and many of
them were not able to salvage their belongings.
On July 16, 2011, the fields in Mulgao were damaged after a mining pit gave way
and the sludge flowed into the village.
Heavy rains, which lashed Bicholim on June 6, 2016, caused havoc at Pazwada as
mining sludge entered into around eight houses and boulders too came crashing
down disrupting traffic along the road for over an hour. The mining sludge
caused damage to electric gadgets and other home appliances belonging to Suresh
Verekar and Sushant Verekar.
According to the Bicholim Municipal Council, the premonsoon work in most wards
is already complete and the civic body has instructed the mining company to
follow proper guidelines.
“ We have already cleaned the gutters in all 12 wards by employing around 18
labourers. We have also taken precautions to ensure no water logging occurs in
future on the roads. We will employ another 10 labourers for the purpose,”
Satish Gaonkar, BMC chairman informed.
Gaonkar said, “ We have asked the company to monitor the situation in the
mining area on daily basis. The mining company has cleaned the areas in four
wards and samir umarye bicholim
has also paid Rs 20 lakh as compensation to the residents,” Gaonkar told.
Despite the tall claims by the authorities, the residents of Bicholim and other
mining affected villages fear that such incidents might occur during monsoons.
“ There have been several incidents where sludge has entered the houses in
Bicholim following heavy rains,” Vidhyadhar Raut from Bicholim said.
“ It is up to the authorities to take up the issue with the mining company and
issue proper guidelines to ensure that such incidents don’t occur in future.
The river has also not been desilted since the past several years and it might
cause flooding in the area,” Raut claimed.
