Truckers oppose moves to stop ore handling operations at Kalay Railway Yard

THE GOAN NETWORK | 21st January 2024, 12:48 am
Truckers oppose moves to stop ore handling operations at Kalay Railway Yard

Truck operators from Kalay, Sanguem and Sanvordem during a meeting at Kalay village.

SANGUEM
Truck owners from Kalay, Sanguem and Sanvordem convened a meeting at Kalay village on Saturday evening and strongly opposed any move to stop ore handling operations at the Kalay Railway Yard.

During the meeting held under the banner 'Save Mining and Save Bread', the Truck Owners Association from Kalay led by Kishore Rama Gauns Dessai and supported by Truck Owners Association from Sanguem and Sanvordem accused Kalay sarpanch of giving outside support to Goa Foundation in obtaining the status quo order pertaining to suspension of ore handling activities at Kalay Railway Yard till the passing of an interim relief order on January 23.

The meeting was addressed by President of Sanguem Truck Owners Association Marcus Peereira, Kishore Rama Gauns Dessai and president-elect of South Goa Truck Owners Association Vallabh Dalvi.

The speakers at the meeting lamented the support rendered by the Kalay Panchayat to Goa Foundation in the petition filed before High Court to halt transportation activities at Kalay Railway Yard, as it comes within the precincts of Bhagwan Mahaveer Wild Life Sanctuary.

While addressing the meet, Kishore Rama Gauns Dessai said the Kalay Panchayat, which is a party to the petition, should have placed before the High Court the facts pertaining to the nature of activities at the Kalay railway Yard, besides stating the number of people dependent on transportation activity at the Kalay Railway Yard.

Dessai feared that the high court orders at the January 23 hearing could put truck owners and several villagers from Kalay village, who are dependent on ore handling operations at Kalay Railway Yard, into several difficulties as their only source of income will come to a standstill.

President of Sanguem Truck Owners Association Marcus Pereira appealed to panchayat authorities and others concerned over difficulties facing the mining-affected people and the truck owners since the stoppage of mining activities in the State. He said most truck owners from Sanguem and Sanvordem are dependent on transportation activities at Kalay Railway Yard.

President-elect of South Goa Truck Owners Association Vallabh Dalvi appealed to those opposing transportation activities at Kalay Railway Yard to consider the problems facing truck owners and their families since the stoppage of mining operations in the State.

“The stoppage of transportation activities at Kalay Railway Yard will further aggravate the problems faced by truck owners and there would be severe financial complications facing the truck owners,” said Dalvi.

Nothing against legal mining activities in Kalay: Sarpanch

Kalay Sarpanch Narendra Gaonkar, who is at the receiving end in connection with the status quo order passed by the High Court, insisted he has nothing against legal mining activities in the village.

He informed that since the present loading and unloading transportation activities are being conducted within a distance of 10 metres from residential houses, a Chapel, School and the market, he had suggested the shifting of the yard to Santona ward of Sanvordem Panchayat.

“It is in the interest of villagers and as per the decision at the Gram Sabha, I had sought the shifting of transportation activities to Santona village where there is no human habitat and residential houses close by,” said Gaonkar.

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