Curchorem: Ore unloading at Sanvordem jetty was blocked on Thursday after the Sanvordem Truck Owners’ Association objected to the use of trucks operating outside the designated transportation route, alleging that company had breached an understanding with the association.
Sources said that under the understanding between the association and the company, only trucks operating along the designated transportation route could be employed to transport ore from the Cuddegal mine to Sanvordem jetty.
Ore had been transported without interruption for about a week under this arrangement. However, on Thursday morning, association members noticed that around 15 trucks operating outside the designated route had been loaded and sent to the jetty. They stopped the trucks from unloading the ore.
In the afternoon, some more trucks were sent to the jetty for unloading, but the association members blocked these as well.
Association president Vallabh Dalvi told reporters that truck owners were getting a trip only once every two days. “If trucks operating outside the designated route are also employed, we will get a trip only once every three days, making it financially unviable for us,” Dalvi said.
He said that the association had no objection to the employment of trucks from outside the designated route, provided it did not
affect the trips available to its members. Till late evening, the trucks had not been allowed to unload the ore and were told to return with their loads. Police were deployed at the site.
The association filed a complaint with the deputy collector’s office in Sanguem. A hearing has been scheduled for Friday.
