QUEPEM MUNCIPAL COUNCIL GREEN SIGNAL FOR MINING TRUCKS IRKS LOCALS

Apparently bowing to pressure from the mining lobby and the mineral ore transporters association, the Quepem Municipal Council (QMC) finally granted permission for the movement of mining trucks through the town, much to the chagrin of the residents.
At its meeting held recently, the QMC, after deliberating at length on a letter by the mineral ore transporters' association requesting that mining trucks be allowed to ply through Quepem, adopted a resolution granting "conditional approval" for movement of mining trucks. The municipal council has warned transporters that the approval would stand withdrawn if the transporters were found flouting guidelines framed by the transport department with regards to mineral ore transportation.
It may be noted that the QMC had taken a tough stand against mineral ore transportation through the thoroughfares of Quepem, with the city fathers pledging their support to the residents in the anti-mining transport agitation. The Quepem residents had threatened to block all mining transportation through the town on the grounds that haphazard mining transportation through the town posed safety hazard to the lives of the people, besides causing intolerable dust and noise pollution. Interestingly, the Quepem MLA, Chandrakant Kavlekar, had also expressed his strong disapproval over the movement of mining trucks through Quepem and had blamed the transporters for their failure in prevailing upon the government to construct a bypass road for mining transportation. Justifying its change in stance, the chairperson of the QMC, Lydia D'Costa, stated that the livelihoods of many Quepem residents were dependent on transport business and thus any decision to bar movement of trucks without making any alternative arrangements for transportation would amount to injustice on the locals.