In 36-day deadlock ends n Company agrees not to deploy trucks from outside on Codli-Amona route n Non-committal on withdrawing cases against truckers n Both parties agree to `11.10 per tonne per km n No decision yet on issues with Bicholim truckers
PONDA
The AGTOA, meanwhile, convened a meeting in Usgao on Thursday afternoon, after they received a list of trucks removed from transportation. The Vedanta is reported to have handed over the list to the truckers, with which they were satisfied and then conveyed their decision to the company.
The 36-day deadlock between the striking truckers and the Vedanta company appears to have been resolved for now, with both parties agreeing to the rate of Rs 11.10 per tonne per km to transport the e-auctioned ore.
The rate agreed by both parties to transport the e-auctioned ore would, however, depend on the present rate of diesel.
The mining company is also reported to have agreed not to engage trucks from outside the Codli-Amona route.
Following a meeting between Vedanta and the striking All Goa Truck Owners Association (AGTOA) at Codli on Wednesday, the mining company handed over a list of those outside trucks which would be withdrawn from the Codli-Amona route.
The list was then discussed at an AGTOA meeting in Usgao on Thursday afternoon and when the agitating truckers were satisfied with the list, they conveyed their decision to the company to resume ore transportation from Friday. Continued from P1
Incidentally, the striking truckers have insisted on a third key demand – withdrawal of cases against the striking truckers – but the company has so far been non-committal on this issue.
Meanwhile, representatives of Bicholim Taluka Truck Owners Association (BTTOA) met Vedanta officials at the company’s office in Panaji on Thursday, regarding their separate list of demands,
However, no final decision was taken in the matter.
Another round of talks is now scheduled for either Saturday or Monday, sources told The Goan.
The BTTOA is learnt to have submitted three different proposals for the transport of e-auctioned ore from Bicholim town to the Sarmas Jetty, based on the diesel rates.
Following an agreement with the AGTOA, a senior Vedanta official confirmed that the company would resume transportation of e-auctioned ore from Friday and that, trucks would not be deployed from outside the Codli-Amona route.
“We are resuming ore transportation from Friday. We have told AGTOA that we will not engage trucks from outside the Codli-Amona route,” Joseph Coelho, operations head at Vedanta, told The Goan on Thursday night.7
Coelho was responding to a key demand from AGTOA to engage trucks only from the Codli-Amona route.
“We are resuming ore transportation on Friday after having discussed the issue with truckers,” Coelho said.
Coelho clarified that the rate fixed for the e-auctioned ore transportation is Rs 11.10 per tonne per kilometre, which would fluctuate as per the diesel rates.
“The rate for ore transportation is fixed on the government’s formula after considering the present rate of diesel,” he said.
Speaking to The Goan, AGTOA president Nilkant Gawas said all the members have gone through the list and they were satisfied. “We had asked to engage trucks only from the Codli-Amona route and Vedanta has agreed to it and also fulfilled our demand of withdrawing cases.
“As such, AGTOA has decided to allow the resumption of transportation of e-auctioned ore from Friday,” Gawas said.
According to Gawas, trucks only from the route area will be engaged in ore transportation henceforth. “We will keep a check on the trucks going for loading the ore,” he said.
Speaking to media persons, Gawas alleged that Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar was not with the truckers, but with the mine owners.
“Assembly election will take place in another one year and the truckers will teach a lesson to the BJP. They are not to be trusted,” alleged Gawas.
He also threatened to agitate again if Vedanta fails to withdraw the cases lodged against them.
When asked how had they agreed to a rate of Rs 11.10 per tonne per km, Gawas replied: “The company was earlier giving just Rs 8. We have also demanded to fix the rate of transportation for fresh
mining.”
