Nothing illegal about mining transportation, number of trucks restricted: Prasanna Acharya

Margao: With the "Mission Bypass" agitation at Tilamol entering its twelfth day on Wednesday, director of mines and geology Prasanna Acharya met agitators at the protest site and urged them to call off their agitation. Mining transportation in the area has remained suspended during the period.
Stressing that "the government has put in place all regulatory measures to ensure discipline in mining transportation," Acharya urged protestors to allow mining transportation.
In yet another regulatory mechanism for mining transportation introduced by the directorate of mines and geology (DMG), mining trucks will proceed from the loading point at the mines to the unloading point at the mining jetty in a convoy of five trucks, with a time lag of five minutes between the first and second convoys. This system will also be followed in the reverse direction. This system has been introduced with a view to decongest roads to some extent, Acharya told protestors.
Lauding protestors for bringing the seriousness of the demand to the notice of the government, Acharya told them that there was nothing illegal about the mining transportation and that it was being done as per guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court. The number of mining trucks plying on the road, Acharya said, has been restricted to well below the carrying capacity of the roads, as determined by an independent agency.
"From 2000 trucks found violating speed restriction of 40 kmph on a given day two weeks back, the number has now come down to nearly 300. This shows that the regulatory mechanism is working as desired," Acharya said.
The protestors were in no mood to relent.
"Our demand remains unchanged - no mining transport without a bypass road," convenor of Mission Bypass Pradip Kakodkar said while addressing the protestors.
"Twelve days ago two women lost their lives after coming under the wheels of a mining truck. A child lost its mother...We won't allow any more deaths due to mining transport. Iron ore is secure inside the earth's womb and it just won't disappear. Construct a bypass road before moving the ore because people's lives are more precious. Despite all assurances dished out by them, we can't see any visible difference in ground conditions since that day 12 days ago," Kakodkar said in a fiery voice laced with emotions.
The protestors voiced their determination to carry on with the agitation with renewed vigour until their demand was met. They have decided to gather at the Tilamol junction at 8am on Thursday to prevent any attempts at resuming mining transportation. Women rights activist Auda Viegas, Movement for Amity towards Roads in Goa (MARG) activist Martin Fernandes, chairperson of Quepem municipal council (QMC) Filu Fernandes, were among those who addressed the gathering of protestors.
Acharya told TOI that mineral ore transportation will be resumed "soon."
"However, the protestors enjoy the democratic right to protest peacefully," he said.