Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The villagers of Shirgao have mounted strong resistance against the State government’s recent mining lease granted to Salgaocar Shipping Company Pvt Ltd, alleging that the agreement was finalised without adequate community consultation or consideration of their long-standing concerns.
Central to the opposition is the demand for a minimum 200-metre buffer zone from the nearest house to the mining area. Currently, the government has sanctioned only a 150-metre protective buffer from the compound of the revered Shree Lairai Devi temple.
Local resident Vijay Gaonkar criticised the government for allegedly pushing forward mining operations without safeguarding the village’s residential and cultural zones. “We’ve repeatedly asked that schools, homes, religious sites, and agricultural lands be left out of mining lease boundaries, but no action has been taken. This matter is now before the High Court, where we’re demanding a 200-metre buffer from the last house, not just from the temple wall,” Gaonkar said.
He further referred to a report by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), which flagged serious risks if mining resumes. The report warned that past mining had significantly damaged Shirgao’s groundwater recharge capacity. “Water sources like wells and springs are already under stress. If mining begins again, it will lead to widespread water scarcity,” Gaonkar warned.
Residents have also legally contested the Environmental Clearances granted for Mining Block 2, allocated to Salgaocar Shipping Company, and Mining Block 3, awarded to Rajaram Bandekar Mining Pvt Ltd.
The Directorate of Mines and Geology has delineated restricted zones, including a 150-metre no-mining radius around the Shree Lairai temple and an 80-metre buffer from Dhondachi Tali, a local water body.
Environmental activist Swapnesh Sherlekar said the village’s cultural and ecological fabric is being torn apart. “Shirgao is not just a mining site — it’s a spiritual and ecological landmark. The village has already suffered extensive damage due to past mining. Forests have vanished, water sources are drying up, and now even sacred geography is under threat,” he said.
Sherlekar also reflected on local folklore, recalling how the goddess Lairai and her siblings settled in Shirgao through dense forest paths — forests that have now been stripped bare. “Mining has even dug below the water table in places. It’s not just environmental degradation; it’s cultural erasure,” he added.
Dinanath ‘Dina’ Gaonkar, who heads the Shirgao Nagrik Samiti, said villagers have been resisting mining operations since 2008. “I was among the petitioners challenging the government’s move to auction mining leases. We’ve consistently opposed all three proposed mining blocks. Our demands include clear demarcation of lease boundaries, exclusion of community spaces, compensation for affected families, and a buffer zone of no less than 200 metres,” he said.
