Mining nuisance goes on unabated

The nuisance of mining transport in Quepem goes on unabated inspite of the efforts taken by the District administration to improve the same as the problem of overloading, traffic jam, spillage, over speeding , constant accident continues as usual.That two accident involving mining truck were reported in Quepem on Monday one at Tilamol and another in Quepem Baza. Though there was no major injuries to life , the vehicle were damaged. In Quepem Bazar a Tata tipper mining truck bearing No.GA-08-T-5399 dashed against a maruti Vagenar bearing Reg. No.GA-08-A-6877.

In another accident taken place at Tilamol a mining truck dashed against another mining truck in which a truck driver escape with minor injuries. However one truck front part was totally damaged.

That as the RTO has tighten their screw in issuing challen (fines) for overloading trucks the mining company has evolved a new strategy. They are not mentioning the weight of the ore a particular truck carry in the column meant in the slip but are mentioning at the back of the slip. Sources informed that overloading, over speeding goes on uninterruptedly that too in presence of the police and the RTO deputed to monitor. That due to over loading spillage take place and the roads in some places turned red. Though the traffic jam problem has been reduce to some extend on Quepem - Curchorem road, as the loaded truck are regulated at Tilamol - Sirvoi road the villagers going to Rivona and Colomba constantly faces traffic jam problem as the line of the parked truck ranges to a distance of a kilometer.

The villagers of Quepem complains that the over speeding and overloading of mining problem will hardly improves as most of the police, RTO officials, Traffic police, CID officials deputed in Quepem have a direct interest in mining as they or their family members owns truck. While other have a direct interest as they get regular ‘hafta’. Sources informed that those police officers have direct interest in the mining are being deputed to regulate the traffic or to check overloading.

The villagers claims that unless and until those police officers, RTO officials, Traffic who have interest in the mining business are not transferred, the situation will not improve.

John Fernandes