BICHOLIM
The joint meeting was convened in the Bicholim Mamlatdar’s cabin on Wednesday and attended by Bicholim Mamlatdar Gurudas Desai, DySP Ramesh Gaonkar, PI Narayan Chimulkar, Vedanta officials Srishail Gauda, Joseph Coelho, Camilo Fernandes, Prakash Parab, Samir Kurdikar, Chetan Sawant, BTTOA President Satish Gaonkar and others.
During the meeting, the BTTOA members submitted a memorandum to the Mamlatdar with some conditions like offering ore transportation rate of ` 11.50 per tonne per kilometre and providing diesel at `40.20, disburse loan of ` 1.5 lakh and withdrawal of all complaints against agitating truck owners.
Other demands included a strict adherence to a time schedule, honorarium during no-work period, additional money for truck repairs, provision of diesel in the mining zone to avoid movement of trucks in the town area, monthly meetings and a meeting in May to revise ore transportation rate.
The mining company was not willing to accept all demands of the BTTOA, but was ready to offer an ore transportation rate of ` 10.50 per tonne per km and providing diesel at the rate suggested by BTTOA. This offer was then accepted by the truck owners association.
The Bicholim Truck Owners Association President Satish Gaonkar said they were accepting the rate on a trial basis for two months.
“The company should convene a meeting in May to revise the rate as per increase in the dollar rate,” said Gaonkar.
Mamlatdar Desai also called upon stakeholders to resume mining activities as early as possible. Desai also warned that the authorities would take strict action against those blocking roads or resorting to agitations.
