Saturday, April 19, 2008

Demand for dismissal of South Goa Collector

Resolution was passed at a public meeting called by GAKUVED in Colamb, Sanguem to demand dismissal of the South Goa Collector Gokuldas Naik for his high handed behavior with Colamb villagers on 12th April 2008 at his office in Margao.

Villagers had visited him on his invitation to discuss contentious Colamb mining issue. The collector in a bid to force the villagers to let the Fomento mining company to transport Iron Ore threatened to deploy Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel to bulldoze villagers’ opposition to the mining activities in their village in T. C. No. 06/1949.

Further collector threatened to transport the Ore till 10.00 pm in the night to teach villagers a lesson.

More dangerously he termed the local Gram Sabha resolution to oppose mining activities in Colamb village as invalid.

Collector defended the venue of the Public hearing of for this mine being in Margao even though laws point out that it should have been done at the venue.

Collector was in fact directed to ensure that this mine is closed down by the Goa Pollution Control Board in its letter revoking Consent to operate on 14th March 2008.

Earlier this collector was responsible to provide Police security cover to Fomentos that resulted in arrests of Colamb villagers and unleashing of Police Violence.

The collector though is a public servant, has failed miserably to uphold dignity of his office and is functioning as private agents of the Fomentos mining company – that is engaged in activities detrimental to the Public interest in Colamb.

Meeting resolved to contact various organizations across Goa to press for the support to demand dismissal of South Goa Collector Gokuldas Naik.

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