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Illegal mining activity at Gogoro ou Gulcan Dongor Mine T.C.No. 006/49 of Hiralal Khodidas in Colamba Village.

Encroachment on Forest Land, illegal Boring of test Pit

The forest land has been encroached upon by the mining lease holder T. C. no. 6/49. Trial pit for the testing of iron/manganese ore has been dug and the rejection is putting in the private forest. The B.D.O. of Sanguem has already inspected the site and has declared that the above mentioned has no authority to build and that the illegal. No Licence has been issued to the concerned party. There was a stop action issued to the mining company but they did not heed and went on with the construction.

Illegal mining activity at Gogoro ou Gulcan Dongor Mine T.C.No. 006/49 of Hiralal Khodidas in Colamba Village causing financial loss to the government

LOSS TO THE GOVERNMENT The illegal mining activity is causing damage to the perennial Natural Nalla as well as financial loss to the Government, by way of causing damage to infrastructure etc.The runoffs from the illegal dumps are entering the perennial Natural Nalla as well as the agricultural fields causing financial loss to local peasants.

Damage due to runoffs from mine sites to: A) Agricultural land. B) Kushawati river and its tributaries

1. It was brought to your notice that the Mine of Hiralal Khodidas Gogoro ou Gulcan Dongor Mine T. C. No. 006/49 had Pumping & diverted directly the Mud Water From Mine and putting into the paddy fields & Awati Bandh (Nalla), illegally diverted its natural course and causing damage to agriculture and a public nuisance. Villagers demand that immediate action be taken against Mine of Hiralal Khodidas Gogoro ou Gulcan Dongor Mine T. C. No.006/49 for the same. 2. The Pumping has also caused damage to the Kushawati River and its tributaries and have been causing serious problem to our Paddy fields and other Agricultural lands and its irrigation.

Villagers Objection to Mining done By M/s Hiralal Khodidas in Colomba Village

We do not see the need to produce our property papers to your office as when the mining company in mention was asked to do the same in the presence of the police they did not comply. The matter is more serious than just the property for it affects our lives and livelihood which you do not seem to see.

We hereby humbly request you to consider our grievance in the interest of the poor “PEOPLE” who are more important then the profits of the private companies. We are powerless but can and are aware of our power.

We belong to the Schedule Tribe Community and our lands have to be protected by the government as is done in other places like Cazur and so on. These lands have been ours by the fact our forefathers lived and toiled here and now with the coming of the mining company, are we allowing this to disappear?

Our Rights Guaranteed by ARTICLE 21 of our Constitution are: VIOLATED

Since the last few years our “Right to Live” as guaranteed by article 21 of the Constitution, is being trampled upon by M/s Hiralal Khodidas & Company. Repeated, representations and petitions to all concerned authorities had no effect, forcing us, law abiding villagers to agitate. We are poor so we cannot dole out money for getting our requests to be answered.

Children’s Health in Danger:

Our Innocent Children suffer from malnutrition due to the loss of crops, caused by the pollution and artificial drought created by M/s Hiralal Khodidas & Company.

APPEL: SAVE OUR CROPS : from being destroyed. DUE to discharge of the water from the mining pit to the Kushawati River. For the following reasons:

1. Rice crops in our Village have been cultivated for ages but now we cannot as the water from the mining pit brings along with it the mining silt into the fields, which does not allow the crops to grow. 2. The water from the mining pit together with the rain water has flooded even the places where abit of planting of our Rice crops was done. 3. In the village as the pit is deeper than the wells the ground water is drained out from the village wells, causing an artificial drought, thus affecting our livelihood. Thus we are not able to plant other crops after the rainy season. 4. Our other crops like sugar cane, beetle nut, coconut and a vegetable too has been affected in the same way. 5. Our village is now witnessing the distraction and pollution of our ‘nallas’, springs water sources and wells.

Besides this, our roads have destroyed; the bridges are in danger of collapsing. The dynamite used to blast the rocks in order to excavate the ore cause cracks in our houses and soon the houses could be seen crumbling down on us and our children.

The Natural environment is already destroyed by the fillings of trees and the disappearance of the wild life from our area. This also affects the rainfall in the area as a science teaches and as all government are fully aware of the drawbacks of deforestation.

We demand that the lives of PEOPLE should take precedence over profits of private company. If not we will then resort to the Gandhi Principles of non violence to get our demands answered. It could also turn out to be another demonstration of our power.

Inspection of Mine Site carried out on 25.05.2007 by the Experts from Directorate of Mines & Geology, Government of Goa

the inspection carried out on dated 25.05.2007 by Directorate of Mines & Geology, Government of Goa and officers and they informed us that there is no possibility of the wash-offs / run-offs of the mud from the dumps entering into our agricultural land, natural Nalla and the Kushawati River. We the residents of this area aware of the heavy rains occur in Colomba and near by areas. We are also well versed with the situation that occurs with that quantum of rainfall. Hence we are convinced that the run –offs are entered into our agricultural land, natural Nalla and the Kushawati River. The situation is witnessed known after the rains starts.

Earlier your experts insist that we are wrong to presume that the run –offs / wash – offs will eater the agricultural land, natural Nalla and the Kushawati River. We request you the following:

1. Kindly give us in writing that to remove the run –offs / wash –offs which are entered in the agricultural land, natural Nalla and the Kushawati River. Which earlier your experts say that it will not entered in it. 2. Depute an officer in Colomba village for daily monitoring of the mine site in the banks of Kushawati River and the catchments area during these monsoon days.

Illegal mining activities had been taking place at Gogoro ou Gulcan Dongor Mine T.C.No. 006/49 of Hiralal Khodidas in Colomba Village.

The Director of Mines Panjim – Goa by the Villagers of Colomba those illegal mining activities had been taking place at Gogoro ou Gulcan Dongor Mine T.C.No. 006/49 of Hiralal Khodidas in Colomba Village. The Director had been informed that the activity was causing loss to the Govt. by way of destroying infrastructure, as well as causing loss of the livelihood, and danger to life of local people. Please FURNISH the following information:

1. Has the Department of Mines &Geology issued any license / permission / NOC to Hiralal Khodidas or any of their agents, to carry work of destructions of: a) Infrastructure (roads etc) b) Natural Nalla at Colomba / Kevona. c) Fields / agricultural lands under cultivation of villagers. d) Traditional Irrigation Canals used by villagers of Colomba & Kevona for the purpose of Cultivation. 2. If the above Mentioned license / permission / NOC have been issued, kindly furnish us with a certified copy of the same. 3. If the license / permission / NOC have been issued, kindly give us details of the action taken against the Culprits. 4. If the culprits have not been booked, and the activity has not been stopped, Kindly Inform us in writing the Reasons why the action has not been taken. 5. Kindly inform us as to when the Department will take action to stop the destruction activity and measures to be taken to recover the cost of damages incurred. 6. Silting of the Autiband nalla, Agricultural land and the Kushawati River which has affected agriculture that has been in existence for over a hundred years. Removal of dumps, and restoration of forest. 7. Measures to control dust pollution. 8. Reservation of all forest areas and other lands in Colomba and Rivona villages as green.

LOSS TO THE GOVERNMENT: The illegal activity is causing damage to the Perennial Natural Nalla as well as financial loss to the Government, by way causing damage to infrastructure etc. The runoffs from the illegal dumps are entering the Perennial Natural Nalla as well as the agricultural fields causing financial loss to local peasants.

STOP THE LOSS: In The Interest of Public, as well as stopping loss to the Government, we request you to conduct a surprise inspection, book and persecute the culprits. You are also requested to detain and attach the heavy machinery and recover the fines imposed. Your early action in the matter will help to stop further losses to the government.

M/s Hiralal Khodidas & Company and other Mining Companies creating Nuisance in different wards of Colomba village.

We the LAW Abiding Citizens of Colomba villagers here by notice that some Agents of Mining Companies although we had brought to the notice of the concerned authorities of the destructive activities taking place in Colomba village, and the concerned authorities are not taking any action against the culprits and have been given a free hand to carry on the illegal activity unhindered.

The issue relates to the destruction of natural watershed of Colomba village, which has affected the livelihood of the people, as well as posing danger to the Kushawati River, Serious water depletion in the village. Infrastructure has been damaged, which is a loss to the Government.

As the matter is urgent and corrective measures need to be taken we request you to kindly issue directives for an inspection for a report within 6days from the following Officers: 1. Director of Social welfare 2. Director of Agriculture 3. Chief Engineer, WRD 4. Chief Conservator of Forests 5. Chief Engineer I PWD, Water Supply 6. Chief Engineer II PWD , Roads 7. Director of Mines.

Arrest of Colomba Bachow Samiti members by the P.I. of Quepem Shri P.B. Shirwoikar.

The two of our members, Egyps D’Souza? and Manuel Dias, of Colomba village, were sitting in a relaxed mood at the Colomba bus-stand at about 5.30p.m on 14TH October 2007 Sunday evening. The P.I. of Quepem, Shri P.B. shirwoikar together with 12 policemen came in two jeeps at about this time and for no reason at all of them took the two of them to the Quepem police station.

Later on after they had departed and were about to reach the police station the police left them realising that they had falsely arrested them.

We would like to see into this matter and we as lawful citizens of this country have the right to live without being threatened by the police as we had not created any problem at all. The main issue is the mining activity in our village which is being handled by the DY. Collector, Shri Johnson Fernandes.

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