Goa villagers protest pollution by Sesa's metallurgy plant

Thousands of villagers from Navelim in Bicholim taluka of Goa on Monday observed a day-long bandh against Sesa Goa's metallurgical coke plant in the village, claiming that it is polluting their surroundings.

Police officials said the bandh which started at 7 am has remained peaceful till now.

Locals were seen sloganeering on the road and blocked the entire stretch which connects Panaji to Bicholim taluka.

Sundar Gawas, one of the protestor said that Sesa Goa had taken the entire village and state government for granted. He claimed that expansion of the existing facility of metallurgical coke plant has increased the pollution levels in the surroundings.

"We can see black dust power our food. God knows how much of such particles we have been inhaling," he said.

Sesa Goa which has set up its plant here in the year 2006 has began expansion of their facility since this month.

The company spokesman earlier had confessed that the high capacity diesel burners had misfired while pre-heating activity releasing black smoke in the air on August 17 and August 18.

The villagers on Monday claimed that the state pollution control board and even ministry of environment forest (MoEF) did not conduct any public hearing while allowing the expansion of the plant, which is mandatory according to law.

The gram sabha held on Sunday had decided to hold one day bandh to attract attention towards the gross illegalities committed by the plant. The villagers claimed that the plant has been polluting their water sources.

Sesa Goa Limited has been operating a 250,000 tonne pig iron manufacturing plant since 1992 and a 280,000 tonne metallurgical coke manufacturing plant since 1994 at Amona which was shifted to Navelim in 2006.