BICHOLIM
The deadlock between the Vedanta company and Bicholim Taluka Truck Owners Association (BTTOA) was reportedly resolved on Saturday evening, with the truck owners agreeing to lift the e-auctioned ore on rates suggested by the company, but under protest and on certain conditions.
Speaking to reporters in Bicholim after their meeting with the mining company, the BTTOA leaders claimed that the mining company had agreed to give diesel at a rate of Rs. 45.57 from their own petrol pump at Sarmanas Bicholim and Rs 10.85 per tonne per km to transport the e-auctioned ore.
The government approved rate was Rs 11.45 per ton per km and rate of diesel was Rs 48, but it was later decided to make slight changes in it as adjustable to the mining company and the truck owners, they told reporters.
“Our main intention to demand diesel from the company was to avoid transportation of trucks in the city area,” BTTOA Secretary Subhash Kinalkar said.
The BTTOA members said they had accepted this offer in order to resolve the issue, but under protest in the largest interest of affected mining dependent families.
The truck owners also claimed to have put some conditions before the company that it should show them a license to lift the ore and once the license is shown they will make an agreement with the company in this regard.
The truck owners also demanded that if the trucks are damaged during transportation, then the compensation should be paid by the mining company. Another condition was to measure the exact distance between the Bicholim loading point up to the Sarmanas unloading point.
The BTTOA members claimed that company officials had agreed to these demands and the issue was resolved.
The e-auctioned ore transportation is likely to begin from Wednesday to Thursday, once the demands put forth by the truck owners is fulfilled, they said.
The BTTOA leaders attending the meeting with company officials included BTTOA President Satish Gaonkar, Secretary Subhash Kinalkar, members Bonek Dias, Sandeep Morajkar, Govind Karmalkar and Tulshidas Chodankar.
