SIRGAO VILLAGERS STRUGGLE AGAINST MINING FIRMS

SIRGAO: Sirgao villagers’ struggle against the mining firms in their village has now got a shot in the arm after local communidade claimed that their land has been illegally encroached by three mining firms. Sirgao communidade members in their letter to the Chief Secretary, has claimed that the mining firms have acquired more property than what they were allotted in the village by bribing the government officials some years back.

The members have said, “In recent years, the mining companies misguided the government or officials in collusion with mining companies through money and political power and has entered into various properties comprising almost 75 percent of the village into mining leases.”

The members in their letter have alleged three mining firms - M/s Chowgule & Company Pvt Ltd, M/s Rajaram Bandekar (Sirgao) mines Pvt Ltd and M/s Dempo Mining Corp. Pvt Ltd, have devastated this village.

The memorandum submitted to CS has demanded to file First Information Report (FIR) against three mining companies and initiate criminal proceedings for illegal encroachment and destruction of communidade property.  “Rehabilitation of the destructed villages of Sirgao at the cost of mining companies and 25 percent should be compensated to each component or village towards damaged caused to their property,” it demands further.

In the letter it has been stated that the mining concession to these companies were granted during Portuguese regime, which needs to be cancelled.

The communidade body in their letter has said that all these mining firms attract contempt of Supreme Court, which has recently given a landmark ruling in a similar case. “Recent judgment dated January 28, 2011 by Supreme Court in Jaypal Singh and others versus State of Punjab and others has said that the land belonging to communidade or gramsabha land must be kept for the common use of the villagers and village, and such land is actually being used for Public Purpose of the village,” the letter reads.

Sirgao Communidade has said that they own vast land to the eastern and southern side of the village. “The properties coming under mining leases are house property, agriculture property, water bodies, temple property and the maximum property belongs to Sirgao communidade,” it adds. “It would be more precise to state that the villagers are living in the mining instead of mentioning that mining companies exist in the village,” the letter lamented.

“Since 2006, all the farming land in Sirgao village remained uncultivated. The people here are basically agricultural families, who are now deprived of their source of income and the entire village has been reduced to poverty due to mining activities,” the letter lamented.

The communidade officials have said that inspite of placing their grievances to the government and requesting for closure of mining activity, the government has failed to curtail the issue. “But the government is keen to run the mining in the village at the cost of the villagers,” the letter alleges.  When asked, the Mines Director Arvind Lolienkar said that they have not received any formal complaint from communidade. “If they have genuine grievances, then we will surely look into it,” he added.