Irked Ladfe-Bicholim locals block mining trucks

Irked with pollution caused in the village due to mining transportation, residents of Ladfe-Bicholim on Tuesday blocked mining trucks from Kalne-Dodamarg, Maharastra.

It may be recalled that the residents had last week submitted a memorandum to Bicholim Deputy Collector D H Kenaudekar demanding a halt on mining transportation through their village.

However, the transport continued plying through Ladfe and on Tuesday at about 10 am, about 150 agitated villagers came on the road and blocked around 50 ore-loaded trucks at Ladfe.

Bicholim MLA Rajesh Patnekar rushed to the site and supported the agitation. Bicholim Mamlatdar Pramod Bhat, Bicholim Police PI Madkaikar, Bicholim Congress Committee President Naresh Sawal also rushed to the site.

Residents fear the heavy mining traffic would pose a threat to the people at the temple, milk society, primary school and Shishuvatika school, all located along the roadside.

“Besides, the village and fields are also near the road,” complained the residents.

The villagers have demanded a complete stoppage of mining transportation through the village, which is being regulated from Maharashtra.

Later, Mamlatdar Pramod Bhat had a discussion with agitatators, who demanded that the transport contractor should be called at the site, but he was not available.

In order to solve the problem, Mamlatdar Bhat has convened a meeting in his cabin at Bicholim on Wednesday.

However, the villagers including MLA Patnekar and Sawal strongly suggested to stop the mining transport and no compromise should be made.

BICHOLIM CORRESPONENT ADDS: Tension gripped Bordem-Bicholim late Tuesday evening, as several mining trucks plying from Maharashtra to Bicholim were blocked by an irate mob at Bordem.

The incident occurred at about 8.30 pm, when a mining truck in a bid to overtake was about to hit a motorcycle rider at Bordem. The situation became tense, as the truck driver in turn tried to argue with motorcycle rider. Soon a mob gathered at the site and punctured the tyres of the truck.

Anticipating trouble, the truck driver fled from the site. The mob gathered at site stopped all the trucks plying from the road. The entire traffic along the road, including buses and private vehicles, were stopped.

Speaking to reporters, Anand Narvekar of Shiv Sagar group from Bicholim expressed displeasure over the mining trucks plying along the narrow roads in Bicholim.

“We will submit a memorandum to Bicholim Mamlatdar on Wednesday to take steps against the mining transport in Bicholim,” said Narvekar.


Herald, Wednesday, 21 October, 2009

Pictures of June 6, 2009 floods from mining sites in Goa

Sateri Temple in Valshi, Bicholim: water from nearby Vedanta (Dempo) mines at Bordem, Bicholim overflowing up to the temple plinth.

Below picture shows mining silt enters into compound wall of People residing near Vedanta (Dempos) mines in Mulgao, Bicholim.

Picture below shows mining rejection from Vedanta (Sesa Goa) mine lays scattered around in Advalpal village in Bicholim Taluka.

Picture below shows mining silt on the floor inside the village temple in Valshi, Bicholim. This silt is from Vedanta (Dempo mine at Bordem, Bicholim)

Mining silt entered entered inside the People's houses in Poira, Bicholim. This Silt is from Chowgule mining company.

Compound walls, drainage disrupted during last floods in mining belt of Goa. This picture is from Advalpal where in Sesa Goa, Salgaoncars, Fomentos, Lithoferro mining companies are in operation.

(Pictures by Vishant Vaze)

Bordem threatened by Dempo/ Vedanta mining

These pictures were taken on April 07, 2008 when Sebastian Rodrigues and Dadu Mandrekar visited Bordem village in Bicholim. This was a reality then. Mines were operated by Dempo Mining Corporation. Though for the reasons of profit maximisation Dempos sold all its mining leases in Goa to British corporate Vedanta, it has not done away with misery for environment and Goa's food and water security. Person with simple common sense will able to understand this reality. Can't understand Dempos failed to understand this. Surely, interest of Goa is not at their heart they have to find out where it is actually!

Bordem's threatened agriculture.

Close up view of mining activities in the middle of coconut trees.

The stark mining reality.

Vanishing greenery, vanishing food security, vanishing water security. Goa is already crying over milk shortages. Surely, cows don't get fed on mining silt. So there is no surprise in Goa's milk shortages today. It was only a series of mining prompted time bombs waiting to be exploded in due course of time and it has exploded!

Bordem's entire paddy fields are threatened by mining activities.

The beautiful house with ugly mining trade in the background. Mining disaster in true colourful sense! Kudos to Dempos, and now Kudos to Vedanta for being super destructs of the planet earth! Keep destroying!

Bicholim's Bordem, Mulgao perishes under Dempo mines

Bicholim's Mulgao village is under receiving end from Dempo mining.

The Bordem village's vegetation as well as vegetables are facing the battle of survival as more and more land is coming under mining activities.

Bordem's lush green mountains and scooped out this way...

Mining dumps has created huge new red mountains. They all get washed in the rivers of Goa every year during monsoons. The above picture is from Bordem.

Mining right on the top of the mountains. India's Ministry of mines has given 'Environmental Clearance' to clear the environment. No one can beat Goa's mining company's in their butchering actions in a way they are going about 'clearing the environment'.

This picture is inside the Dempo mines in Mulgao, Bicholim

All the vegetation is cleared and the remaining one too is facing grave threat. Perhaps as you see this picture from Mulgao several area of Goa's greenery is getting bulldozed under the several mining company's bulldozers and rippers. They have a commitment to rip and rape 68,000 hectares of Goa's land under 810 mining leases granted by colonial Portuguese regime plus several thousand hectares more land under mining leases granted after Goa's liberation. So mining companies are destined to have a enjoyable time drying entire Goa dry of its springs and wells, ponds and tributaries of various rivers. And why not? They have a power and influence, and they got to show it. What is the use if they do use it to wipe Goa off the Word Map. It is undoubtedly going to be greatest achievement of mining industry. And they will be rewarded by China, Japan, Europe for supplying them all the Goa's mud and Ore under it.

Long live Goa's mining industry! Long live its killer instincts! It has just killed two school students in Dabal, Sanguem under the mining truck and injured another on February 24, 2009. And we know it is only the beginning of the end to people of Goa, unless off corse people put their foot down on mining industry and impose Tadi Par on it! Mining industry threatened to impose this on people of Colamb few monts ago and continuesly using police to harrass them.

Bordem and Mulgao are very beautiful and green without mining. But tragedy is it has ore everywhere underneath Dempos are all out to get it. So it may as well be the time to say good bye to Bordem and Mulgao villages as they are being rapidly swallowed by Dempos.

Sebastian Rodrigues