Panaji: Congress on Monday demanded that the government should intervene in the matter of compensation to be given by the pig-iron plant of Vedanta Ltd at Amona to farmers, who has failed to adhere to the High Courts order.
Srinivas Khalap, General Secretary of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee, on Monday addressed a press conference and said that the BJP government has failed to look into the issues of farmers and is only helping crony capitalists.
Congress leader Khemlo Sawant was also present.
“Farmers taking crop in the area had complained about how plant is responsible for spoiling the environment and damaging their crops. The High Court had directed the company to compensate the farmers, but till today they have not received a single rupee,” Khalap said.
He said that farmers have not received compensation towards pollution done by the pig-iron plant of Vedanta Ltd at Amona.
“Agriculture activities were stopped as crops were damaged. People are not able to take new crops as the area is polluted and the government is not taking any action,” Khalap said.
Khemlo Sawant said that writ petition was filed in High Court against the Vedanta company, wherein court had directed Bicholim Deputy Collector to process compensation of farmers.
“Not a single farmer has got a single rupee. People are waiting for compensation. Around 170 farmers had complained, but they have not got solace. Even the government has failed to check the pollution taking place here,” Sawant said.
He said that officers are giving assurances, but nothing concrete is happening. “I thing these officials are under pressure as this constituency is represented by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant,” Congress leader said.
