PANJIM | March 23, 2016: Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) has asked the Caurem-Pirla panchayat secretary to act against panchayat members involved in obstructing mining activity in the village and declare the panchayat resolution in this regard null and void.

The issue came up with Caurem villagers, led by panch Ravindra Velip, stopping transportation of e-auctioned ore from the Fomento mining lease by an outside contractor and demanding that it be routed through the local co-operative society formed by the villagers. The locals, along with panch members, were arrested by Quepem police for trying to stop transportation of the ore.

In a letter to Caurem-Pirla panchayat secretary, DMG director Prasanna Acharya has called for declaring the resolution null and void. He also sought action against the panch members who recorded their commercial interests concerning transportation activities carried out within the jurisdiction of the local body and using their official capacity.

(Source: http://www.heraldgoa.in/)