Kurdi locals accuse mining firm of destroying forest

Herald correspondent

Saanguem, Jan 19

Residents of Kurpem and Kurdi wards of Wadem-Kurdi have bitterly complained of the massive destruction of forest by a mining company in the area.

The residents have also charged the mining company for destruction of their agricultural plantation and paddy fields.

Irked with the destructive attitude of the mining company, residents on January 16 stopped the construction work of the road by mining company through a private land after cutting large number of forest trees.

Vilalgers led by Anant Gaonkar and Rajendra Velip said due to unplanned mining activity in the village, turbid water and mining rejects flow into their paddy fields and agricultural plantation, thereby affecting the productivity of agricultural produce.

The paddy fields are located barely at a distance of about 40 mts from the mining site and mine owner seems in no mood to bring under control the wanton destruction caused to the agricultural plantations.

The villagers also charged the company for being hand in glove with some villagers and undertake the mining activity with their blessings.

Sarpanch Arun Matkar claimed that the panchayat has not given any permission to the mining company to construct the new road in the village by cutting a large number of tress.

The villagers have urged the government, particularly the Director of Mines and the forest department, to conduct an inquiry in the matter and relieve the villagers of the destruction caused to their agricultural plantation.

Herald, 20 January 2010

Curpem, Sanguem threatened by Dempo mine of Vedanta

These are the pictures on 20 October 2009 of liked polluted water from Dempo mine in Curpem, Sanguem. Dempos mines are owned by British corporate Vedanta. Leakages is threatening People's residential houses at Chimutwada, Curpem in Sanguem taluka.

This mine poses grave danger to the locals as this leakage on the top of mountain can lead to collapse of the mining dump. In case the collapse takes place then entire locality of people of Chimutwada likely to face a disaster.

Sesa Goa mining leases in Goa

Colour guide to read the statistics of Vedanta's mining leases in the State of Goa, India:
Orange is serial number.
Pink is T.C. number that is the code to refer to the mine.
Green is area of land in hectares.
Yellow is a name of the mine.
Red is name of village where mining lease is located.
Blue indicates the talukas of mining lease.

01
Satari
T.C. 28/51
Botvadeacho dongor
6.4.1951
T.T.30.9.57
23.9585 Hactares
Pissurlem
Fe/Mang

02
Bicholim
T.C. 76/52
Orasso Dongor
8.9.1952
99.4 hectares
Advalpale
Iron

03
Satari
T.C. 65/53
Potvol, Modhlovaddo etc.
17.7.1953
T.T. 13.2.1957
77.93 hectares
Velguem
Fe/Mang

04
Sanguem
T.C. 26/55
Cajumolla etc.
9.7.1955
T.T. 16.1.1957
43 hectares
Sancordem
Fe/Mang

05
Bardez
T.C. 32/55
Sem denominacao especial
30.6.1955
T.T. 30.7.1955
43 hectares
Pirna - Nadora
Fe/Mang

06
Bicholim
T.C. 38/58
Toleachi Add etc.
11.8.1958
99.5788 hectares
Arvalem
Iron

07
Sanguem
T.C. 39/58
Ambeaculna
11.8.1958
92.295 hectares
Santona
Iron

08
Sanguem
T.C. 78/59
Cazulem Cazuleancho Condo etc
13.10.1959
64.952 hectares
Sancordem
Fe/Mang

09
Satari
T.C. 79/59
Vagacho dongor Marsaglacho etc.
7.10.59
99.435 hectares
Xelopa
Fe/Mang

10
Sanguem
T.C. 6/60
Nagonem Borod
29.1.60
66.9 hectares
Colem
Iron

11
Bicholim & Bardez
T.C. 7/60
Bag Moitem de Palvel
5.2.60
99.9 hectares
Advalpale & Assanora
Iron

12
Sanguem
T.C. 64/59
Santona Vadi Soddo e ter. adjusts.
28.9.59
98.6 hectares
Santona
Iron

Sesa Goa - as above list - held 12 mining leases covering 908.9493 hectares of Goa’s precious land; from June 11, 2009 onwards it aquired additional - all mining leases in Goa - of Dempo mining corporation as follow:


01
Bicholim
T.C. 11/41
Lamgao
20.8.41
TT of 20.10.58
100 hectares
Lamgao
Iron

02
Bicholim
T.C. 12/41
Vagachiper
20.08.41
TT of 20.10.58
99.96 hectares
Bicholim
Iron

03
Bicholim
T.C. 13/41
Goatoor
20.8.41 TT of 20.10.58
99.5 hectares
Bordem
Iron

04
Bicholim
T.C. 14/41
Toticho mor dongor
20.8.41 TT of 20.10.58
99.91 hectares
Mulgao
Iron

05
Bicholim
T.C. 15/41
Mandurbaga
20.8.41 TT of 20.10.58
99.55 hectares
Mulgao
Iron

06
Sanguem
T.C. 7/50
Culnavoril Sodo
30.1.50 TT of 1.8.56
38.8428 hectares
Dudal
Fer/Mang

07
Sanguem
T.C. 3/51
Cantor
30.1.50
97.6775 hectares
Curpem
Fer/Mang

08
Sanguem
T.C. 43/51
Navientil Galivoril Advona, Nagona etc.
18.5.51 TT of 13.6.56
100 hectares
Aglote
Fer/Mang

09
Sanguem
T.C. 35/52
Tambessoddo
4.4.52
98.46 hectares
Colomba
Fer/Mang

10
Bicholim
T.C. 37/52
Candulgo
4.4.52
100 hectares
Codali or Carapur
Iron

11
Canacona
T.C. 87/52
Chedeudongor & Dardongor
18.10.52 TT of 9.11.55
92.5 hectares
Nuem
Iron

12
Satari
T.C. 95/52
Marsoddo
14.11.52
98.777 hectares
Pissurlem
Fer/Mang

13
Satari
T.C. 5/54
Onvalienchi Math
22.1.54
96.6448 hectares
Onvaliem
Iron

14
Satari
T.C. 20/54
Onvalienchem Paltona
5.3.54
90.9542 hectares
Ouvaliem
Iron

15
Bicholim
T.C. 21/54
Tolpi e Mardando
5.3.54
65.794 hectares
Cudne & Surla
Iron

16
Sanguem
T.C. 22/54
Borcotem
5.3.54
69.747 hectares
Colem
Fer/Mang

17
Sanguem
T.C. 40/54
Sem denominacao especial
22.10.54
51.05 hectares
Curpem
Fer/Mang

18
Canacona
T.C. 37/59
Rajabaga e terrenos adjacentes
10.8.59
100 hectares
Canaguinim (Cola)
Fer/Mang

19
Bicholim
T.C. 17/60
Gorbaim Golacho tembo
29.4.60
70.687 hectares
Navelim e Surla
Iron


Total area covered by Dempo's mining leases acquired by Sesa Goa (Vedanta) is 1670.0543 hectares. Dempos had 19 mining leases of which 13 are in operation and includes 21 mines.

With the addition of Dempo’s mining leases its total of mining leases went up to 31 mining leases covering total land of 2579.0036 hectares.

Ramesh Gauns and Sebastian Rodrigues

Salgaocar-Alemao nexus targets Selaulim Dam

Our worst fears on water security are coming true, Public Hearing has just concluded today to dig the earth for mining barely 30 to 50 meters from Selaulim water dam in Curdi-Curpem villages.

Today’s Public Hearing is one more in the series of serious attempt by the mining industry and Central government to dismember Goa and bleed it to death. Today’s Public Hearing involved T.C. No. 60/1952 of S. Kantilal Pvt. Ltd at Asni Dongor Iron Ore Mine covering Survey numbers 27, 37, 38 and 39 in Curdi village of which survey number 39 is private reserved forest identified under Sawant and Karapurkar Committee. Survey number 2 of Curpem village is also within the jurisdiction of this mine and listed as Government forest. Total land to go under mining here is 46 hectares.

Local sarpanch of Vaddem Panchayat was pathetic in his intervention, he demanded Rs.300/- per month per family as contribution from the mining company. Besides this he also suggested introducing 'hafta' system to generate revenue for the Vaddem Panchayat. 'Hafta' system is integral part of parallel economy based on extortions.

There are several People who opposed mining proposal, Rama Velip of GAKUVED was one of them.

You may well imagine the alarming state of affairs with regard to Salaulim water dam if the nefarious nexus between the two MLAs of Goa Legislative Assembly Anil Salgaokar and Joaquim Alemao are allowed to succeed in their nefarious designs to disrupt water supply in South Goa including cities of Margao and Vasco.

Sebastian Rodrigues