Pip into Sirgao mining Pits

This is an photo essay on Sirgao mining based on pictures by Shaweta Anand when she toured Sirgao village on December 27, 2008 and commentary by Sebastian Rodrigues. Sirgao village is located in Bicholim Taluka in North Goa and has presence of mining industry for half a century. Its water bodies are dried up and agriculture has become a casualty. Three mining companies operating in Sirgao - Dempos (recently purchased by Vedanta), Chowgules, and Bandekars. Water level has gone down very deep and all the wells in the village are dry. Mining companies are pumping out the ground water and releasing the same into the three nearby rivers - Paira river, Sirgao river, and Assanora par river. You may know more about Sirgao here.

This picture shows tanker showering water on road to curtail dust pollution. Village of Sirgao has no water to drink miner has plenty to shower mining roads. This is one of the greatest tragedy of our times.

Mining company's display board.

Hills razed. Green turned red. Coconut trees remains to be razed.

Agriculture fields are full of mining silt.

Little remains of Sirgao's remains of glorious green glory.

Water being released into the river after being pumped out of deep mining pits.

Marshy visible silt in Sirgao paddy fields.

Close up of water diversion and alien specie tree plantation. Both are harmful to environment and People.

The mining landscape. Water route to the river visible clear to everyone who visits here.

Inside the mining pit.

Mining trucks resemble ants inside the mining pit.

Devastation of Forest by mining. All the remains now is pits and pits of mines.

NEERI report recently linked drying of water bodies and agriculture siltation to the operation of three mines in the village. This picture is of the poster on a vehicle that was utilized to create public awareness four days prior to World Environment Day 2009 in Sirgao. This picture is by Sebastian Rodrigues.

Small portion of hill remains to be razed above the mining pit.

Mining field and its dangerous water sucking greenery.

Pip into the mining pit.

Transportation of Ore in trucks on serpentine roads inside Sirgao Mines.

Mining in phases. Visible mining phases. Goa is in the middle of dangerous mining phase.