Cavrem villagers opposes mine

The villagers of Cavrem-Quepem strongly opposed for the expansion and renewal of lease of Devappan Dongor iron and manganese ore mine of Shri Shaik Salim at a public hearing held in Mallikarjun Temple at Cavrem on Monday April 28 2008 which was presided over by the South Goa Collector Shri G.P.Naik and Goa pollution Control board Assistant Environment Engineer Sanjay Vaze.

All the villagers gathered opposing the renewal and expansion of the mine stated that if the mine is started then their entire village will be destroy as the proposed mine is situated on the top of the hill and their houses are lying on the foot of the hill which are situated barely at a distance of 300 mts. They further stated that their natural water resources which originated from the Devapan Dongor will be affected and their agriculture will be destroy due to siltation.


One John Fernandes of Deao opposing and criticing the Rapid Environmental impact assessment report stated that the report give false, distorted and suppress vital and important information. He stated that the report which states that there are no ST population in the buffore zone stated that 80% of the population in the buffer zone are from ST Community. He further brought to the notice of the presiding officer that there are a protected site like the Rivona pandova Caves and the Ponsamol site which comes within the buffer zone. There are also protected species like peacock, leopards, bison, spoted deer which information has been suppressed from the report.


He further stated the total mining area is private land is false as vast government land mostly thick forest land of survey No.19 which is a home for different animals and birds including the protected species comes under the lease area. So also the government primary school which is in survey No.11/2. He further brought to the notice that there are human settlement within the core zone which information has been suppressed from the REIA report.


Narayan K. Gaonkar opposing the mine stated the manual operation of the mine which was done about 20 years has done extensive damage to their agriculture land which are yet to be compensated by the mining company and if mechanize mining is done there will no peace of land to cultivate.


Deep Laximon Velip stated that mining will affect more to the forest animals like bison who after the destruction of forest due to mining will enter into cultivation in search of food and destroy it.


Rama Velip from neighboring Colamb village stated that due to dust pollution the villagers will suffer many dieses, the erosion will affect the Kushawati river and mountain being the tanks of fresh water it will affect the fresh water table.


Others who opposed the mine includes Shri Ratnaker Velip, Turo B. Velip, Mahadev Velip, Mrs. Abolem Velip, Mrs. Parvati Velip, Mrs. Sitabai Velip, Mrs. Radha Krishna Velip, Mrs. Geetawati Velip, Mr. Ankush Velip, Bubuso Velip, Umakant Velip , Surendra Velip.


John Fernandes