Interpretation from Panchwadi Bachao Samiti on events of 7th February in the village

Overwhelming opposition to the proposed mining roads dominated the Gram Sabha Meeting held on 7/2/2010 at Panchawadi, which eventually ended at 4 PM in chaos and confusion, yet again. Over 400 persons opposed the proposal by Sesa Goa to use Panchawadi for mining activities, completely outnumbering the handful of supporters of the Sesa proposal. However, the Dy. Sarpanch, who was chairing the meeting in the absence of the Sarpanch, and the Secretary continued to use illegitimate means to further the aims of Sesa by refusing to allow a hand vote to prove the majority.

The first two and a half hours of the grueling meeting were consumed in taking signatures of the attendees. The meeting then commenced with reading of the previous Gram Sabha Meeting minutes which went on for another 3 hours without conclusion. The Dy. Sarpanch and Secretary were grilled by the Gram Sabha members for falsifying the minutes, to which questions they could not offer any replies. Frustrated with the impasse, the people asked the Dy. Sarpanch to decide the issue with a hand vote. When the Dy. Sarpanch asked the supporters of the Sesa plan to raise their hands only a dozen persons lifted their hands. Overjoyed with their victory, the villagers next asked the Sarpanch to count the number of members opposing the said project. The Sarpanch refused to allow the hand vote in spite of persistent demands from the Gram Sabha members. As the Gram Sabha members mounted pressure for the hand vote, the Sarpanch abruptly stated that since the Gram Sabha members were not co-operating, he had adopted a resolution approving the Sesa proposal. After making this statement, the Sarpanch, Secretary, BDO observer and the few supporters of the mining company abruptly and hurriedly left the venue under the protection of the large police posse. The majority of the villagers were left shocked and agitated by the unlawful act of the Sarpanch followed by his sudden disappearance, an obvious plan to undermine the Gram Sabha. This was followed by intense protests by the angry villagers who even blocked the Shiroda-Sanvordem road for over one hour, during which period some persons damaged the Panchayat building. The villagers have pointed out that not a single policeman attempted to stop the breakage and allege that the damage to the public property was a pre-planned move by the supporters of the mining company.

The Panchayat authorities finally arrived at the scene only at about 5.15 PM and assured the villagers that their grievances would be resolved immediately, which assurances have been taken by the villagers with more than a pinch of suspicion.

Mining puts Panchwadi village on road to troubled jetty

Yesterday was a historic Sunday for Panchwadi villagers in Goa's Ponda taluka. The village Panchayat had its gram sabha. One of the points on the agenda has been to approve or disapprove the proposed exclusive road for mining ore transportation and construction of Jetty for the loading of the Ore. Villagers paddy fields are meant to be sacrificed to benefit the mining company - Sesa Goa owned by British corporate Vedanta who is busy plundering Goa's mineral resources with complete blessings of the Indian and Goa government.

As soon as issue came up today for discussion at the gram sabha over 200 people opposed mining roads as well as the Jetty. While only 20 people stood up to support the mining company's proposal - most of them with business interest in mining trucks. Sarpanch refused to register majority decision of villagers against the mining roads and mining jetty. This created an uproar. Sarpanch, Secretary, and Ponda BDO had to be escorted out of Panchayat building with Police protection. It's irony of democracy after mining company purchases and selects elects representatives.

Later in the evening villagers opposed to the mining roads and Jetty created road blockade in the village. Some miscreants also pelted stones at the Panchayat office. Further details are awaited.

Tension runs high in Usgao as cops arrest priest, 5 others

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

MARCEL, JAN 28

Tension flared up in Usgao on Thursday when six persons, including the parish priest of St Joseph Church, were arrested on charges of blocking the road near Usgao Bridge.

Fr Felix Lobo and five other women were among the villagers who had blocked the road after a student was injured in an accident earlier in the day.

Angered over the arrest of Fr Lobo, a large crowd then marched to the Ponda police station and demanded the immediate release of the parish priest.

Trouble broke out when a bus carrying school students and a truck collided with each other at Pratap Nagar, Usgao, at about 7.30 am.

Accusing the truck driver for driving in a rash and negligent manner, Fr Lobo and a group of villagers protested by blocking the road near the Usgao bridge.

A police team rushed to the site and tried to clear the blockade, but met with no response from the protesters.

“Since Fr Lobo and villagers refused to clear the road even after several requests, police arrested them. A complaint was filed in this regard by truck owner Gajanan Naik,” PI C L Patil told Herald.

PI Patil said Fr Lobo and the five other women were arrested for illegally blocking road and unlawful assembly under Sections 143 and 341 IPC.

Fr Lobo said they decided to block the road after they came to know about the injured child and to demand action against the over-speeding trucks.

“If we come on the streets, authorities say it is against the law. But what about the overloaded trucks that travel at high speeds? Is there any law for them,” asked Fr Lobo.

“There was an order from the North Goa collector to stop mining transportation from 7 am to 8 am and from 1 pm to 2 pm during school hours. Authorities are, however, least bothered to implement this order,” said Fr Lobo.

The situation worsened when truck owners from Usgao demanded the road to be cleared, resulting in heated arguments between the truck owners and protestors.

“What is our fault? I want to know why my truck was illegally blocked. Who are they to block the traffic this way,” asked and angry Gajanan Naik, former sarpanch of Usgao-Ganje and a truck owner, who later filed a police complaint with Ponda police.

Angry that Fr Lobo had been arrested, a number of villagers marched to the Ponda police station to demand the immediate release of the priest and the other women.

Even though bail had been granted to all the arrested, PI Patil said Fr Lobo has refused bail and was willing to stay in the lockup.

Police requested the 200-odd villagers, who had gathered in front of the police station to disperse. Since they refused, a strong police force was deployed at the site.

At about 8 pm, Power Minister Alexio Sequera visited the police station and met the priest.
“I had come to the police station for some personal work, where I happened to meet Fr Lobo, who is a friend of mine. I am driving him home as there is no transport at this time,” said the minister.

When contacted, North Goa SP Bosco George, who was also at the police station, said: “We requested Fr Lobo and managed to persuade him to avail the bail. We will look out for a favourable solution to the issue,” he said.

Herald, 29 January 2010, Panaji

Usgao Police Action on anti-mining protestors condemned

Goa Federation of Mines Affected People (GOAMAP) strongly condemns police action on people protesting against transportation of ore from Sesa Goa mining company in Usgao, Ponda on 12th October 2009.

Usgao villagers had created blockade of transportation of mining trucks plying from British corporate Vedanta owned Sesa Goa mine at Condli for one week before Police action was enforced arresting 157 protestors.

Few centuries ago one British company known as ‘East India Company’ entered India for business and ended up ruling the country. Today another British company known as ‘Vedanta’ has purchased Sesa Goa and Dempo mining companies and already using Goa Police to clear roads for itself.

GOAMAP urges Goa Government not to use public-funded Goa police force to defend private interests of any of the mining companies in Goa.

Violent resistent to Vedanta's Sesa Goa at Condli, Goa

According to headlines in marathi daily in Goa 'Gomantak' today there has been violent clashes between police giving protection to Sesa Goa's mines at Condli, Goa and the Usgao villagers yesterday. 157 people including women are arrested. 7 mining trucks has been stoned. Sesa Goa mining company is owned by British multinational corporate - Vedanta.

Sesa Goa's graphite particles to surrounding villages

Vedanta owned Sesa Goa Pig iron Ore Plant very close to Mandovi river at Amona, Bicholim spreads its graphite particles to the neighboring villages as well as far away villages like Betki in Ponda Taluka.

Sebastian Rodrigues

Opa Water Works faces mining threat

At least 5 minng companies are releasing silt into the Opa Water Works irrigation project that supplies water to Tiswadi and Ponda Talukas.

This is silted Khndepar River. What do say about its colour? Howzzat???!!!

Our taps carry water from this river.

Sebastian Rodrigues

Keri's troubled Tamba Mines

Ramesh Gauns posing inside Tamba mines in Keri village of Ponda Taluka. This mine belongs to one Tamba from Panjim and is being opposed by the villagers as their water bodies has dried up and blasting of mines has caused dangerous cracks to the houses of the villagers - specially the Amadi part of Keri village.

Sebastian Rodrigues

Nilesh Naik - Goa's first green martyr remembered

Nilesh Naik was gunned down by Goa Police on 23rd January 1995. He sacrificed his life in chasing out American Corporate DuPont's Nylon 6,6 wanting to get established on Ponda taluka's Keri Village's Bhutkamb Plateau. Nilesh was 3 months short of his 25th Birthday when he bravely took police bullets on his chest. The above picture is memorial in his honour at Bhutkamb, Keri.

Two elderly women - one of them is a mother of Rekha Gawde that was also shot and injured in the same police firing - offering floral tribute to Nilesh Naik on January 23, 2009. The other woman is Gunavati Gawde.

Convener of SEZ Virodhi Manch Charles Fernandes addressing the meeting on the occasion.

Keri Panchayat member spoke at the memorial service.

Swati Kerker from Keri paid rich tributes to Nilesh Naik.

Ramesh Gauns asked people from Keri to be in the forefront of movements in Goa today. He said sacrifice of Nilesh Naik will no be in vain and he will continue to be inspiration force for the future struggles in Goa.

One minute silence was kept to pay homage to the sacrifice of Nilesh Naik.

Ramkirishna Jalmi and GOAMAP Convener Sebastian Rodrigues also shared their views on the occasion.

Sebastian Rodrigues

Ponda's Keri village threathened by Girish Tamba mining menace

Houses in locality of Ambade, Keri in Ponda taluka has developed cracks due to blasting of granite stone quarry.
The stone Quarry is operated in a property owned by London based Dr. Anil Dessai who is hailing from this village. He was instrumental in fighting Thapar-Du pond owned Nylon 6,6 in the decade of 1990s. It is not sure as to why he is contributing to enormous destruction of people's livelihood and drying up of water bodies in the locality.
Agitation against this quarry is 13 years old and was suppressed by physical threats to the villagers and by application of Police threats. The Public meeting convened on December 28, 2008 near Keri's Vethal temple served January 20, 2009 deadline for Girish Tamba to stop his operations forever in the village and pledged to stand up against the Goonda might of Girish Tamba.

Pictures in this posting display letters of protests of the local villagers way back in 1997. Authorities and local vested interests has been treating these villagers with utmost contempt.

Sebastian Rodrigues