BY A GT REPORTER
PANJIM: The Bombay High Court at Panjim yesterday directed a mining company from Shirgao to pay a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to Shree Lairai temple committee, while granting permission for conducting of mining activities till April 25, in view of the famous Lairai zatra.
The Court observed that, last year the mining activities at Shirgao had been stopped three days before the commencement of the zatra festivities and this year the relaxation was being granted to them because of a plea made by one of the mining companies. The court said that from next year, the mining activities and plying of ore-laden trucks in the village would be stopped for 10 days during zatra and directed the mining companies to plan their mining operations accordingly.
The Court also asked the mining company to pay the compensation to the temple committee latest by April 30.
On April 17, the division bench comprising Justice PB Majmudar and Justice UD Salvi had directed three mining companies from Shirgao to stop movement of mining trucks in the village for 10 days from April 23 to May 3 due to the Lairai zatra festival.
The Court had also directed the state government to provide additional water supply to Shirgao village during the 10-day zatrotsav.
The villagers from Shirgao in a writ petition had urged the Court to stop the plying of mining trucks in the village for 10-day zatra festival as it was causing dust pollution as a large number of devotees throng the village during the festival.
During the hearing, the petitioner prayed for a compensation of Rs 5 lakh while the mining company agreed to pay Rs 1 lakh. However, the Court later fixed the amount at Rs 3 lakh and told the company to pay the amount if they wanted to ply mining trucks till April 25.
