Goa government told to provide potable water to mining-hit village

Panaji, April 27 : The Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the state government to ensure supply of potable water to the villagers of Sonshi in North Goa's Sattari sub-district.

Sonshi was in the news earlier this month after 45 inhabitants of the village were arrested for protesting against pollution caused in water due to iron ore transportation.

The court had taken up the matter suo motu after reports highlighting the plight of the arrested villagers appeared in a section of the local media.

The court on Thursday also directed the state government to ensure clean tap water to the villagers of Sonshi, located nearly 50 km from Panaji, while telling the state government to come up with a solution to the pollution issue.

The 45 villagers from Sonshi, including 23 women, were arrested by police on April 11 and released more than a week later, after they protested against pollution caused by transportation of iron ore by trucks from mining leases surrounding the village, to nearby river jetties from where the ore is shipped.