The fate of the four mining companies which have applied for ore transportation will be decided on Saturday.

District Collector N D Agrawal has fixed a hearing on the sensitive question of ore transportation on Saturday, which would finally seal the fate of the parties to the issue. Agrawal told Herald on Wednesday that while his office is in receipt of applications from four mining companies to resume ore transportation in the talukas of Quepem, Sanguem and Dharbandora, applications have also come in from NGOs expressing their reservations on mining transportation.