Digital Goa, April 18 – High Court has directed three mining companies—Sesa Mining Corporation (erstwhile Dempo mining) , Bandekar Company, and Chowgule & Co—to reimburse Rs 2 crore to the District Mineral Fund (DMF) for damage caused to agricultural land in Sirigao village. The money is to be paid within a period of 6 months. Earlier, the companies had deposited Rs 2 crores towards the work. However, the Water Resources Department had estimated the total damage at Rs 4 crores. To begin repair work, the remaining Rs 2 crores was taken from the DMF, with the understanding that the companies would later repay this amount. However, the companies argued that they should not have to pay the rest as they have already contributed to the DMF, and that the DMF should be used to fix environmental damage caused by their mining. The judgment also closed Writ Petition 1/2008, which began as a letter from villagers over damage to khazan lands.
