Thursday, January 21, 2010

Kurdi locals accuse mining firm of destroying forest

Herald correspondent

Saanguem, Jan 19

Residents of Kurpem and Kurdi wards of Wadem-Kurdi have bitterly complained of the massive destruction of forest by a mining company in the area.

The residents have also charged the mining company for destruction of their agricultural plantation and paddy fields.

Irked with the destructive attitude of the mining company, residents on January 16 stopped the construction work of the road by mining company through a private land after cutting large number of forest trees.

Vilalgers led by Anant Gaonkar and Rajendra Velip said due to unplanned mining activity in the village, turbid water and mining rejects flow into their paddy fields and agricultural plantation, thereby affecting the productivity of agricultural produce.

The paddy fields are located barely at a distance of about 40 mts from the mining site and mine owner seems in no mood to bring under control the wanton destruction caused to the agricultural plantations.

The villagers also charged the company for being hand in glove with some villagers and undertake the mining activity with their blessings.

Sarpanch Arun Matkar claimed that the panchayat has not given any permission to the mining company to construct the new road in the village by cutting a large number of tress.

The villagers have urged the government, particularly the Director of Mines and the forest department, to conduct an inquiry in the matter and relieve the villagers of the destruction caused to their agricultural plantation.

Herald, 20 January 2010

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