Staff Reporter
Sakhali
Following the intervention of MLAs Dr Chandrakant Shetye and Premendra Shet, Vedanta Sesa Goa agreed on Saturday to transport minerals and rejects from the mining pit using local truck operators starting Monday.
After a meeting held a few days ago that was inconclusive, another meeting was held on Saturday and attended by company representatives, both the MLAs and a representative of the Truck Owners’ Association. It was agreed that local drivers would undertake transportation for the next ten days on a trial basis. It was also decided that the temporary arrangement would continue if the local truck drivers undertake the transportation to the company’s requirements during this period.
Shet said, “There are 184 truck operators and our intention is to ensure that all of them get proper work,” he said.
“We are all firm that we cannot bring in outside contractors and displace locals,” Shetye said.
President of the Truck Owners’ Association Satish Gaonkar said, “We have temporarily accepted this proposal. We are firm that all 184 residents should be provided with all types of transportation work. The government, MLAs, public representatives, and mining stakeholders have made a lot of effort to restart mining. Therefore, our position is that locals should benefit from all mining-related work, and the government supports our demand. We also thank the company for accepting our demand.”
A statement by the company stated, “All issues have been amicably resolved in a consultative manner. Vedanta Sesa Goa prioritises the interests of the local community and in order to compensate for the restriction in number of trips for ore transportation, it is being initiated on a trial basis to facilitate the Truck Owners’ Association to transport overburden. We welcome the resumption of ore transportation and are committed to working towards the progress and prosperity of Goa.”
Recently, Vedanta began transportation of minerals utilising 12-wheeled trucks of a private company.
However, local truck operators objected to this move and brought transportation to a halt.
