Panaji: A high-level meeting chaired by Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai today decided to write to mining companies for requisition of their manpower and machinery to water resources department (WRD) for pumping out water from the mining pits for irrigational purpose.
The news will give much needed relief to the farmers from Bicholim, Sattari and Sanqulim who have been suffering due to non availability of water for their farms.
Government has identified total 13 mining pits-nine in North Goa and four in South, to pump out water.
Post meeting, Sardesai said that government has decided that under Irrigation Act, directions will be issued to the five mining companies for requisition of manpower and machinery to WRD to pump out water from mining pits for irrigational purpose.
The five mining companies are Vedanta Ltd, Chowgule, VM Salgaonkar, Panduronga Timblo Industries and Kunda Gharse.
“This is not mining activity. This is done for irrigational purpose in the interest of farmers,” Sardesai said.
WRD Minister Vinod Palyekar, Power Minister Nilesh Cabral, Bicholim MLA Rajesh Patnekar, North Collector Levinson Martins, officials from Mines department and WRD and mining companies representatives, were present for the meeting.
