Presentation by Sayantoni Datta for Convention on Niyamgiri held on 10th October 2009 in New Delhi
A joint meeting with various groups engaged in resistances against mining held in Salem, Tamil Nadu in August 2009 only reiterated that the demand for ‘no mining in Niyamgiri ’ is a judicious one. The notorious company’s modus operandi and unethical practices have been repeatedly exposed across India. People who have been witness to and victims of these large-scale violations called for a strengthening of the campaign against Vedanta’s operations in India in August at the meeting.
I have been requested to share with you a short introduction to the resistances and struggles in the rest of India. It is revealing that while the Court has sanctioned mining in Niyamgiri, the same Court has been taking decisions on stay orders and several violations and malpractices of the company in other states. Vedanta seems to have a certain expertise and confidence in carrying out illegal activities and encroachments, and a history of malfunctioning plants, leakages and accidents. It is ironic that today Vedanta is being blindly touted as the ‘beacon of development’ for Orissa by the Orissa government.
In the last year Vedanta had acquired Sesa Goa and Dempo operations in Goa, well known activist Claude Alvares states ‘The incidents of mining violations on Sesa Goa mining leases are a result of the take-over of the company by Vedanta, a company with one of the poorest environment records in the whole world. Vedanta is pushing iron ore extraction in its Sesa Goa mines beyond the capacity of the environment to absorb destructive damage. Allowing expansion of this company’s operations in Goa can only spell doom for Goa’s natural environment.’[1] I highlight here three crucial litigations, which have been continuing in Goa. The story of Sonshi School, the Sirigaon Litigation and the Advapal Litigation.
At, Advapal village the company had started dumping illegal waste near the Advapal nullah. The huge illegal mining dumps near Advapal nullah, flowed into the nullah, destroying the concrete embankments and flowed into peoples homes and paddy fields. 9-year-old Akash Naik and his mother filed a PIL in Bombay High Court on September 19, 2009. After the PIL was filed, it was found that the company had not adhered to its mining plan and was engaged in illegal dumping of mine waste. The Bombay High Court ordered a stay order on Phase 1 and Phase 2 mining in Advapal. Flow of mining wastes and siltation into paddy fields and homes is devastating the village and creating inhabitable conditions. Akash shares that even though he is nine, he must take on this responsibility, for he was fed up of seeing the people in his village battling with policemen and local politicians, if they do not act, there would be nothing left in future.
Just as mining is creating darkness in our natural environments in the future, so too is its role in creating darkness in children’s lives. Sonshi school in Sattari, Goa is now surrounded by 5 mining sites, and children are studying in the midst of mining dust and elevated noise from the mines. There is no playground and running water in the school, mining overburden has been dumped upto 10 ms near the steps of the school. Only one teacher remains in the school who is extremely fearful of taking any action. Filing of RTIs has had no response and activists like Durgadas Gaonkar have been threatened on the same. It is a clear case of encroachment of Government Land by Sesa Goa, but most are fearful of severe repression by mining companies and mafia there. Children are left with very little alternative as the nearest. school after Sonshi is 10 kms away. Because of the inhuman conditions, attendance has dropped drastically in the school.
At Sirgaon village members petitioned the Court when they found that their wells had begun to dry up, alleging depletion of water resources, degradation of agricultural fields vis-ả-vis the mining activity in Sirigaon village (Bicholim Taluka) in North Goa District. The Goa bench of Bombay High Court ordered for a detailed investigation, which was conducted by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute based in Nagpur. The findings in the NEER report stated that there are three mining companies involved which include Dempo, Vedanta’s subsidiary, Chowgule and Rajaram Bandekar Mines. The landscape here is completely changed. While the topographic highs have disappeared, large depressions or mining pits have been dug which have gone below –20m(amsl) to 43 m (amsl). The report states that ‘the deepening of the mines resulted in the loss of recharge area for the wells and the soil analysis results indicate that the silt deposition from the mining overburdens has degraded the soil fertility in the agricultural fields of Sirigaon village. Proper slope stabilization needs to be carried out in the mining areas to minimize runoff of the overburden dump material to the nearby agricultural fields. 660.25 lakhs rupees has been estimated by the report for mitigative measures such as recharging the aquifer, making arrangements for rainwater harvesting, stabilizing slopes in the area’[2]. The next hearing is due to come up today for Sirigaon and the Court has given a temporary stay order on mining for the time being. People of Sirigaon are saying no to any further mining in the area.
It is interesting to see the confidence with which Vedanta has acquired these very mines which have reached their tether in terms of extraction and are now impacting their neighbouring or peripheral areas, illegally dumping wastes, encroaching on lands and drawing water from neighbouring sources. The first impact of mining is on water, Goa’s water, land, housing, forests, and agriculture have been severely impacted by mining.
In fact the struggle groups in Tuticorin in south of India where Vedanta had imported ‘a secondhand, decommissioned copper smelter plant from Australia’[3], complain about how water has been drawn out from the area and now the company provides water to the residents for only four hours a day. Tuticorin struggles started when fish workers found that the company was discharging its chemical effluents into the river and the sea. The company had violated all the three conditions of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, that a plant must be situated 25 kms away from Gulf of Manar; 1 km away from residence and 500 metres away from water sources[4]; all the conditions have been violated. Plus Gulf of Manar comprises the National Marine Park and special species. Exasperated by Vedanta’s flouting of all rules and recommendations; of dumping piles of phospho gypsum, the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Wastes ordered a shutting down of the smelter in July 2005 as it fully violated the Hazardous Waste Act 1989 rules.
MALCO manufacturing Aluminium bought over by Vedanta in 1996 went on a major expansion drive. Bauxite mined from Yercaud (Shervarayon ranges) & Kolli hills (home to shola forests) was transported to Mettur plant . From 1996 the company in Kolli hills had been mining illegally till 2008 without a single mandatory permission. On a petition in the High Court, Chennai the company admitted to its illegalities, mining was shut down at MALCO. Presently a 135 mw thermal plant is in operation and there is a proposal to expand it to 1035 mw. Salem city groups & Mettur farmer associations are currently warning the company of doing so[5].
The company has operated the bauxite mines without permissions for more than 10 years, where the mining lease expired in 1998. The company's Consent to Operate issued by the Tamilnadu Pollution Control Board under the Air and Water Acts expired in 2002. MALCO's mines also did not have permission from the Hill Area Conservation Authority, or environmental or forest clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The company has deposited a mountain of toxic "Red Mud" - a highly caustic by-product of smelting - on the banks of the Stanley Reservoir on River Kaveri.. The company assures to clear of all of this. Local activists state that this would take three years if 50000 tonnes is removed every month.[6]
‘Going by bauxite production figures declared by Vedanta in its 2008 annual report, the company is estimated to have removed more than 3 million tonnes of bauxite from the Kolli Hills despite having no permission to do so since 2002’[7].
There is no guarantee on the other hand that this would benefit anyone locally, in a study conducted by the India Resource Centre, ‘In the first quarter of 2003, Sterlite’s sales rose 14%. Its export turnover grew threefold (by 201%), while its domestic turnover fell by nearly a quarter. The company’s tax provision tumbled by 84%, to a large extent
because the increase in exports enabled the company to benefit from tax breaks on export profits.’[8]
In a meeting with Bankers held in London in September 22, 2009 many of the banks were shocked at some of the facts, in a discussion held under Chatham House Rules, a Dutch Bank which has now disinvested but had been engaging with the Company to reform itself, gave a final conclusion that Vedanta the company is not willing to acknowledge any of the problems it is causing, and is beyond reform.
Through these experiences we have found that whether a Dempo, a Balco, a Sesa Goa or a Vedanta, the colour of mining practices have been the same. It has brazenly flouted rules and regulations and standards on environment, labour, land acquisition, pollution parameters, and safety precautions for the local people, and to continue doing so it has used local police force, and government bodies in a nexus to support these acts, using overt acts of repression through threats, kidnapping, police harassment, defamation suits and subtle repressive measures such as surveillance on those voicing discontent.
Acknowledgements
1. Presentation on Goa Mining Issues: Summary with urgent appeals, Conference of bankers financing Vedanta , London,September 22, 2009
2.http://www.mandgoa.blogspot.com/
3.Vedanta Salem Meeting Report prepared by Isha Agarwal
4.Vedanta Dossier and Letter to the Jury of Golden Peacock Awards
5.Ravages Through India, India Resource Centre http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=ravages+through+india&meta=&aq=f&oqta=&aq=f&oq=
6.http://www.minesandcommunities.org/
7.Sirigao: NEERI Report to High Court - Executive Summery
8.Sebastian Rodrigues http://www.mail-archive.com/goanet@lists.goanet.org/msg50594.htmlhttp://www.mail-archive.com/goanet@lists.goanet.org/msg50594.html
9.Sebastian Rodrigues, GOAMAP
10.Piyush Sethia, Speak Out Salem
[1] http://www.mandgoablogspot.com/ http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/search/label/Vedanta
[2] Sirigao: NEERI Report to High Court - Executive Summery By Sebastian Rodrigues http://www.mail-archive.com/goanet@lists.goanet.org/msg50594.html
[3] Ravages Through India,
[4] As shared by activists from Tuticorin at Salem Meeting, July 2009, Vedanta Salem Meeting Report
[5] Piyush Sethia, Speak Out Salem
[6] www.minesandcommunities.org
[7] ibid
[8] Ravages through India
Showing posts with label Sonshi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sonshi. Show all posts
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Even a child knows mining is bad!
By Pradnya Gaonkar in Goan Observer, Panaji, October 17 – 23, 2009
Nine-year-old Akash Naik from Advalpal has taken on the mining lobby, which has already destroyed large tracts of land in Goa and threatens to obliterate the remaining green patch in the state. Akash Naik has filed a petition against Sesa Goa, charging them of unlawful mining activity in Advalpal. He has also alleged that the company has managed to extend its expired mining lease. In an interim order, the Goa bench of Bombay High Court restrained Sesa Goa from any mining operations at the firm’s Advalpal mining lease.
Nefarious mining activity is a long standing grievance of the community in Advalpal as it has adversely affected many lives in the region. Akash’s petition has jolted the leading mining company owned by the UK-based Vedanta Group. The company, led by Anil Agarwal, recently made headlines when it bought mining leases worth Rs.17.50 billion from Dempo Group. Akash has been backed by the Goa Foundation, which is pursuing several litigations against mining firms.
SIDE-EFFECTS
Akash, in his petition, has expressed concern over the destruction caused to agricultural lands, the source of livelihood for around 2000 people residing in the area. The water bodies, which are essential for farm holdings, are chocked due to mining rejects dumped near human settlements. The rejects are being dumped in mining pits. The rainwater drains off these sediments in nearby water bodies and fields, destroying cultivable land. Although the same situation is prevalent in other regions of the state where mining takes place, the side effects are especially acute in Advalpal and Sarvona. In June 2009, when the first rain showers hit the state, villagers residing in Advalpal and Poire in Bicholim faced the consequences of irresponsible mining activity. In areas like Gaonkar wada and Voilo wada in Advalpal, water from the reservoirs dug to collect rain water gushed down the red mined terrain, overflowed and rushed into the houses of those residing at the foot of slope. The mining silt in the water contaminated houses, garden and fields, leaving them uncultivable.
Ramakant Gaonkar’s fields and those of a several others were left thickly layered with red mine silt. At Voilo Wada, the heavy flow of mucky water damaged the rear wall of Atmaram Naik’s house. To avoid the mine sludge running down the slope in fields, huge reservoir are dug to accumulate rain water. Large pipes are placed along the slope to drain out water from the mines into canals. The water from these canals is diverted to these reservoirs. According to the villagers, the reservoir built initially could not sustain the amount of water and eventually another reservoir was dug up to divert overflowing water. But the continues heavy showers of rain filled all the reservoirs. The mud in the area became damp as a result the outer walls of the canals and the reservoirs collapsed. This led the water from the canals down the slope into the houses of those residing in the area. The farmers who used to cultivate their fields once in a year are now left with no fields to sow the crops. The thick sludge in the fields are crude iron powder dumped at the mines. This slurry hampers crop growth leaving the farmers helpless. The draining of reject in the fields has become an annual phenomenon for those residing in these areas.
ZANTYE & CO
Ramesh Gauns, an environmentalist and member of the Goa Federation of Mines Affected People (GOAMAP), has highlighted another case involving Zantye and Company Pvt Ltd. In a petition filed before the Delhi High Court, Ramesh Gauns had challenged the order of National Environmental Appellate Authority (NEAA) dismissing his appeal against the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) for granting Environmental Clearance to a project where a public hearing was conducted even before the approved Environment Impact Assessment report was prepared. The Delhi High Court took cognizance of the casual manner in which appeals were dismissed by the NEAA without much application of mind.
Zantye and Company Private Limited’s mining lease covers an area of 72 ha in Sarvona. Ramesh Gauns has alleged that Shantaram Zantye, owner of the company, submitted a false affidavit before the Goa State Pollution Control Board to get NOC by quoting a Total Estimated Investment of Rs.278 lakhs. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by I.N.Kolar, general manager of Trimurti Exports, a registered firm which agreed to pay Rs.11.10 crore for an area of 5,80,333 sq ms out of 7,20,000 sq ms. Gauns has alleged that Shantaram Zantye (the lessee) is in breach of the provision of Deed of Lease where the state government is a lessor (part 7 of the covenants of the lessee/lessees, transfer of lease 17,18). Gauns has also claimed that Shantaram Zantye made a false representation through I.N.Kolar during the joint Site Inspection requested by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) in December 2007. I.N.Kolar also represented Zantye and Co pvt Ltd in matters of NEAA though he is respondent in the matter in the court of the Deputy Coilector Bicholim (Case No SDM/BICH/133/CRPC/2006/04) where he is listed as general manager of Trimurti Exports.
Also, this is the only mining lease in Goa which exists on the banks of the flood prone river in Bicholim. Therefore, the lease is subject to termination under section 4 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. It has also been observed that the mine was not operated continuously for more than 20m years. Therefore, the lease should have been terminated by the state government as per Rule 28, lapsing of leases under the Minerals Concession Rules 1960. More importantly, the Tillari irrigation canal passes through the leased area, covering approximately 38,000 sq ms of land.
NEAA HEARING
Land acquisition was challenged in the High Court by the project promoter. The petition hearing went in favour of Tillari irrigation. The state government has spent Rs. Eight Crore on disilting of River Bicholim as a precautionary measure in May 2009. These vital issues relating to the case were not considered by the NEAA in its order. This led the Delhi High Court to direct the NEAA to rehear the Sarvona Mining case. The government authorities are also allegedly trying to conceal the ill effects of mining by ‘tempering’ with the annual official production figures. The Department of Mines reported that the production of iron ore in 2001-2003 from this mine was 15 tonnes while the Indian Bureau of Mines, Fatorda has stated that there was no production till 2007. The report of the Environment Impact Assessment prepared by the project promoter was approved by the Controller of Mines (South Zone) Bangalore with ore to waste ratio as 1:3.41 whereas the Indian Bureau of Mines report on ore to waste is 1:8.56.
The M/s Zantye Company has submitted Annexure to form 1(a) for NOC from the Goa State Pollution Control Board which lists varying figures on waste. As per the Environmental Clearance and Annexure to form 1(a), the area needed to dump rejects is 716.503 ha but, as per the Environmental Clearance and Indian Bureau of Mines, the area actually required is 596.2974 ha. “Every violation and erroneous data has been brought to the notice of the concerned department and also to the Chief Secretary and Chief Minister, but they have not responded to these allegations since 2007. According to the modification order from the Controller of Mines South Zone, the project promoter has to appoint a manager and statutory officials as per the Mines Act 1952, but this has not been complied with,” underlines Gauns.
The mining menace in areas like Bicholim has drawn the interest of people across the world, especially when a mining giant like Vedanta is involved. A group led by Adv Krishnendu Mukherjee, a barrister who spent 13 years in the United Kingdom, is now fighting against Vedanta group’s activities in Bicholim. While researching the ill effects of mining carried out by the firm, Mukherjee discovered that mining had effected the education of children residing in the area. A small village called Sonshi in Sattari taluka was selected as the study area. There is only one government primary school in vicinity with 12 students and one teacher. In the year 2003, Sesa Goa started a beneficiation plant close to the school premises. There are a total of five major mines operating in the area, but the Sesa Goa plant is the closest and the largest. The mine is located a mere ten meters away from the school, causing serious health hazards to the students.
AFFECTING CHILDREN
During the study, they found no running water available in the school which was also affected by the high noise and dust levels. Mining slurry containing arsenic was causing contamination of near by canal water flowing behind the school. It was indeed breach of statutory duty and of the right to education Department which did not show any concern to the issues of the students studying in this school. Since it is a government primary school, mining was carried out by encroachment on government lands. It is indeed surprising that there has been no test carried out by the government authorities to study the impact on environment. When Mukherjee and his group tried to speak to the teacher was hesitant to speak as she was apprehensive of being pressurized by the department heads. A day later, a guard was posted near the school to interrogate visitors.
When the group tried to retrieve information under the Right to Information Act regarding education standards at schools, the Department of Education responded that there was only one school in the entire village. “It is obvious that the Education Department is not concerned about the depleting standards of the school and is giving a free hand to violators,” avers Krishnendu Mukherjee. “No studies have been carried out by the so called environment and social welfare monitoring authorities in these areas to point out the impact of mining in Goa. The actual picture is worse than one can imagine. Mining cannot be termed as an industry in Goa, but the government still considers it the backbone of the state’s economy. If mining was an industry then, according to the Atlas map prepared by the Indian Bureau of Mines, it should be ten kilometers away from any water body. But most of the mines in Goa are along the banks of rivers,” points out Ramesh Gauns.
The overall mining scenario in Goa needs to be reviewed as the figures mentioned by Gauns are a cause of great concern. In North Goa, the Mandovi catchments area, which covers 980 sq ms, has ten mines in its vicinity. Every year, 270 tonnes of mining rejects are dumped in the Mandovi catchments area and 33.33 tonnes in the Zuari catchments area. Around 1800 barges ply in the Mandovi system and 1500 in the Zuari. An analysis of these figures reveals the alarming fact that reject sediments dumped in the rivers increases turbidity in the rivers increases, decreases light penetration and, in turn, affects marine eco systems. According to figures in the Economic Survey, the fish catch in the state has dropped over the last two years, which can be correlated to mining. The ore to mine reject ratio in Goa is 1:3, which means that only one part of the ore extracted is used where as the remaining finds its way to fields and water bodies.
In spite of the agitations and cases piling up in various courts in the country, the government appears to be ignoring the unlawful and irresponsible business carried out by mining companies. While it is understood that the mining industry employs a large section of the population and contributes to the economy, it is imperative that those involved are ‘responsible’. If the disastrous effects of mining are obvious to a nine-year-old child, why isn’t it to the government?
Nine-year-old Akash Naik from Advalpal has taken on the mining lobby, which has already destroyed large tracts of land in Goa and threatens to obliterate the remaining green patch in the state. Akash Naik has filed a petition against Sesa Goa, charging them of unlawful mining activity in Advalpal. He has also alleged that the company has managed to extend its expired mining lease. In an interim order, the Goa bench of Bombay High Court restrained Sesa Goa from any mining operations at the firm’s Advalpal mining lease.
Nefarious mining activity is a long standing grievance of the community in Advalpal as it has adversely affected many lives in the region. Akash’s petition has jolted the leading mining company owned by the UK-based Vedanta Group. The company, led by Anil Agarwal, recently made headlines when it bought mining leases worth Rs.17.50 billion from Dempo Group. Akash has been backed by the Goa Foundation, which is pursuing several litigations against mining firms.
SIDE-EFFECTS
Akash, in his petition, has expressed concern over the destruction caused to agricultural lands, the source of livelihood for around 2000 people residing in the area. The water bodies, which are essential for farm holdings, are chocked due to mining rejects dumped near human settlements. The rejects are being dumped in mining pits. The rainwater drains off these sediments in nearby water bodies and fields, destroying cultivable land. Although the same situation is prevalent in other regions of the state where mining takes place, the side effects are especially acute in Advalpal and Sarvona. In June 2009, when the first rain showers hit the state, villagers residing in Advalpal and Poire in Bicholim faced the consequences of irresponsible mining activity. In areas like Gaonkar wada and Voilo wada in Advalpal, water from the reservoirs dug to collect rain water gushed down the red mined terrain, overflowed and rushed into the houses of those residing at the foot of slope. The mining silt in the water contaminated houses, garden and fields, leaving them uncultivable.
Ramakant Gaonkar’s fields and those of a several others were left thickly layered with red mine silt. At Voilo Wada, the heavy flow of mucky water damaged the rear wall of Atmaram Naik’s house. To avoid the mine sludge running down the slope in fields, huge reservoir are dug to accumulate rain water. Large pipes are placed along the slope to drain out water from the mines into canals. The water from these canals is diverted to these reservoirs. According to the villagers, the reservoir built initially could not sustain the amount of water and eventually another reservoir was dug up to divert overflowing water. But the continues heavy showers of rain filled all the reservoirs. The mud in the area became damp as a result the outer walls of the canals and the reservoirs collapsed. This led the water from the canals down the slope into the houses of those residing in the area. The farmers who used to cultivate their fields once in a year are now left with no fields to sow the crops. The thick sludge in the fields are crude iron powder dumped at the mines. This slurry hampers crop growth leaving the farmers helpless. The draining of reject in the fields has become an annual phenomenon for those residing in these areas.
ZANTYE & CO
Ramesh Gauns, an environmentalist and member of the Goa Federation of Mines Affected People (GOAMAP), has highlighted another case involving Zantye and Company Pvt Ltd. In a petition filed before the Delhi High Court, Ramesh Gauns had challenged the order of National Environmental Appellate Authority (NEAA) dismissing his appeal against the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) for granting Environmental Clearance to a project where a public hearing was conducted even before the approved Environment Impact Assessment report was prepared. The Delhi High Court took cognizance of the casual manner in which appeals were dismissed by the NEAA without much application of mind.
Zantye and Company Private Limited’s mining lease covers an area of 72 ha in Sarvona. Ramesh Gauns has alleged that Shantaram Zantye, owner of the company, submitted a false affidavit before the Goa State Pollution Control Board to get NOC by quoting a Total Estimated Investment of Rs.278 lakhs. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by I.N.Kolar, general manager of Trimurti Exports, a registered firm which agreed to pay Rs.11.10 crore for an area of 5,80,333 sq ms out of 7,20,000 sq ms. Gauns has alleged that Shantaram Zantye (the lessee) is in breach of the provision of Deed of Lease where the state government is a lessor (part 7 of the covenants of the lessee/lessees, transfer of lease 17,18). Gauns has also claimed that Shantaram Zantye made a false representation through I.N.Kolar during the joint Site Inspection requested by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) in December 2007. I.N.Kolar also represented Zantye and Co pvt Ltd in matters of NEAA though he is respondent in the matter in the court of the Deputy Coilector Bicholim (Case No SDM/BICH/133/CRPC/2006/04) where he is listed as general manager of Trimurti Exports.
Also, this is the only mining lease in Goa which exists on the banks of the flood prone river in Bicholim. Therefore, the lease is subject to termination under section 4 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. It has also been observed that the mine was not operated continuously for more than 20m years. Therefore, the lease should have been terminated by the state government as per Rule 28, lapsing of leases under the Minerals Concession Rules 1960. More importantly, the Tillari irrigation canal passes through the leased area, covering approximately 38,000 sq ms of land.
NEAA HEARING
Land acquisition was challenged in the High Court by the project promoter. The petition hearing went in favour of Tillari irrigation. The state government has spent Rs. Eight Crore on disilting of River Bicholim as a precautionary measure in May 2009. These vital issues relating to the case were not considered by the NEAA in its order. This led the Delhi High Court to direct the NEAA to rehear the Sarvona Mining case. The government authorities are also allegedly trying to conceal the ill effects of mining by ‘tempering’ with the annual official production figures. The Department of Mines reported that the production of iron ore in 2001-2003 from this mine was 15 tonnes while the Indian Bureau of Mines, Fatorda has stated that there was no production till 2007. The report of the Environment Impact Assessment prepared by the project promoter was approved by the Controller of Mines (South Zone) Bangalore with ore to waste ratio as 1:3.41 whereas the Indian Bureau of Mines report on ore to waste is 1:8.56.
The M/s Zantye Company has submitted Annexure to form 1(a) for NOC from the Goa State Pollution Control Board which lists varying figures on waste. As per the Environmental Clearance and Annexure to form 1(a), the area needed to dump rejects is 716.503 ha but, as per the Environmental Clearance and Indian Bureau of Mines, the area actually required is 596.2974 ha. “Every violation and erroneous data has been brought to the notice of the concerned department and also to the Chief Secretary and Chief Minister, but they have not responded to these allegations since 2007. According to the modification order from the Controller of Mines South Zone, the project promoter has to appoint a manager and statutory officials as per the Mines Act 1952, but this has not been complied with,” underlines Gauns.
The mining menace in areas like Bicholim has drawn the interest of people across the world, especially when a mining giant like Vedanta is involved. A group led by Adv Krishnendu Mukherjee, a barrister who spent 13 years in the United Kingdom, is now fighting against Vedanta group’s activities in Bicholim. While researching the ill effects of mining carried out by the firm, Mukherjee discovered that mining had effected the education of children residing in the area. A small village called Sonshi in Sattari taluka was selected as the study area. There is only one government primary school in vicinity with 12 students and one teacher. In the year 2003, Sesa Goa started a beneficiation plant close to the school premises. There are a total of five major mines operating in the area, but the Sesa Goa plant is the closest and the largest. The mine is located a mere ten meters away from the school, causing serious health hazards to the students.
AFFECTING CHILDREN
During the study, they found no running water available in the school which was also affected by the high noise and dust levels. Mining slurry containing arsenic was causing contamination of near by canal water flowing behind the school. It was indeed breach of statutory duty and of the right to education Department which did not show any concern to the issues of the students studying in this school. Since it is a government primary school, mining was carried out by encroachment on government lands. It is indeed surprising that there has been no test carried out by the government authorities to study the impact on environment. When Mukherjee and his group tried to speak to the teacher was hesitant to speak as she was apprehensive of being pressurized by the department heads. A day later, a guard was posted near the school to interrogate visitors.
When the group tried to retrieve information under the Right to Information Act regarding education standards at schools, the Department of Education responded that there was only one school in the entire village. “It is obvious that the Education Department is not concerned about the depleting standards of the school and is giving a free hand to violators,” avers Krishnendu Mukherjee. “No studies have been carried out by the so called environment and social welfare monitoring authorities in these areas to point out the impact of mining in Goa. The actual picture is worse than one can imagine. Mining cannot be termed as an industry in Goa, but the government still considers it the backbone of the state’s economy. If mining was an industry then, according to the Atlas map prepared by the Indian Bureau of Mines, it should be ten kilometers away from any water body. But most of the mines in Goa are along the banks of rivers,” points out Ramesh Gauns.
The overall mining scenario in Goa needs to be reviewed as the figures mentioned by Gauns are a cause of great concern. In North Goa, the Mandovi catchments area, which covers 980 sq ms, has ten mines in its vicinity. Every year, 270 tonnes of mining rejects are dumped in the Mandovi catchments area and 33.33 tonnes in the Zuari catchments area. Around 1800 barges ply in the Mandovi system and 1500 in the Zuari. An analysis of these figures reveals the alarming fact that reject sediments dumped in the rivers increases turbidity in the rivers increases, decreases light penetration and, in turn, affects marine eco systems. According to figures in the Economic Survey, the fish catch in the state has dropped over the last two years, which can be correlated to mining. The ore to mine reject ratio in Goa is 1:3, which means that only one part of the ore extracted is used where as the remaining finds its way to fields and water bodies.
In spite of the agitations and cases piling up in various courts in the country, the government appears to be ignoring the unlawful and irresponsible business carried out by mining companies. While it is understood that the mining industry employs a large section of the population and contributes to the economy, it is imperative that those involved are ‘responsible’. If the disastrous effects of mining are obvious to a nine-year-old child, why isn’t it to the government?
Thursday, September 24, 2009
These school students have mining dust for company
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, SEPT 23
The 12 students of Sonshi Government Primary School in Sattari have nothing, but mining dust for company during their school hours. There is no playground of or any open space in front of the school. No sooner the students step out of their classrooms they are catapulted into the thick of mining activities.
Convenor GOAMAP Senastian Rodrigues in a presentation held in the city on Wednesday highlighted how five mining companies surrounding the school have violated environmental and all possible laws there are.
Rodrigues said the presentation was prepared by one Advocate Krishnendu Mukherjee from Kolkata who has been in Goa for some time. He had done a study on the school tow months back during the monsoons, he mentioned.
The study shows mining overburden has been dumped upto 10 metres from the steps of the school. There has been no running water in the school ever since Sesa Goa beneficiation plant started operating next to the school somewhere in 2003.
The mining companies surrounding the school are involved in heavy encroachment as the original area, 650 square metres, in which the institution was housed has depleted over the years.
Rodrigues said the Department of Education failed to give any proper response to RTI request concerning educational standards at the school and the Goa State Pollution Control Board didn’t carry any tests on air, water or noise pollution surrounding the institution.
During the rainy season one can find polluted rain water near the school because of the mining in its surrounding.
Sonshi Government Primary School was set up in 1964. It has a sole teacher for the last eight years who has been trying hard to get transfer but the same has been refused.
When questioned if the school could be amalgamated with another government institution, Ramesh Gauns said the next school was at the distance of 9-10 kilometers. There are many reasons why this school can’t be amalgamated with another school, he added.
Gauns said there are several such schools that are affected due to mining.
Rodrigues said their aim was to add one more dimension to their campaign by exposing how mining was damaging school infrastructure. “We will do a study and come out with details of schools affected by mining,” he stated.
Herald, September 24, 2009, Panaji
PANJIM, SEPT 23
The 12 students of Sonshi Government Primary School in Sattari have nothing, but mining dust for company during their school hours. There is no playground of or any open space in front of the school. No sooner the students step out of their classrooms they are catapulted into the thick of mining activities.
Convenor GOAMAP Senastian Rodrigues in a presentation held in the city on Wednesday highlighted how five mining companies surrounding the school have violated environmental and all possible laws there are.
Rodrigues said the presentation was prepared by one Advocate Krishnendu Mukherjee from Kolkata who has been in Goa for some time. He had done a study on the school tow months back during the monsoons, he mentioned.
The study shows mining overburden has been dumped upto 10 metres from the steps of the school. There has been no running water in the school ever since Sesa Goa beneficiation plant started operating next to the school somewhere in 2003.
The mining companies surrounding the school are involved in heavy encroachment as the original area, 650 square metres, in which the institution was housed has depleted over the years.
Rodrigues said the Department of Education failed to give any proper response to RTI request concerning educational standards at the school and the Goa State Pollution Control Board didn’t carry any tests on air, water or noise pollution surrounding the institution.
During the rainy season one can find polluted rain water near the school because of the mining in its surrounding.
Sonshi Government Primary School was set up in 1964. It has a sole teacher for the last eight years who has been trying hard to get transfer but the same has been refused.
When questioned if the school could be amalgamated with another government institution, Ramesh Gauns said the next school was at the distance of 9-10 kilometers. There are many reasons why this school can’t be amalgamated with another school, he added.
Gauns said there are several such schools that are affected due to mining.
Rodrigues said their aim was to add one more dimension to their campaign by exposing how mining was damaging school infrastructure. “We will do a study and come out with details of schools affected by mining,” he stated.
Herald, September 24, 2009, Panaji
Mining causes concern to Sattari schools
BY A STAFF REPORTER
Panjim: It is a common knowledge that mining activities being undertaken in the hinterlands of the state affect the flora and fauna but a study by a human rights activist Adv Krishnendu Mukherjee has now brought a startling reality to the fore, schools in the Sattari taluka are also badly affected by the mines resulting in a decrease in a the attendance of the students studying there.
Adv Mukherjee conducted a research of the Sonshi school, Sattari in the last twon months that was presented by anti-mining activist Seby Rodrigues at institute Piedade recently. In the research, it was stated that this school is surrounded by five mines, including Sesa Goa.
This Marathi-medium government primary school has one teacher for just 12 students whose attendance is on decline due to the mining activity, says the study that also points out to further hardships being faced by the school during the monsoons.
During the monsoons, the polluted rainwater from the mines flows near the school. So also the mining rejects are being dumped within 10 metres from the school steps. Besides, the school lacks running water facility due to the presence of a beneficiation plant of Sesa Goa that is operational from 2003 in this area, states Mukherjee, who further claims that the Goa Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has not done any test on the air and water around the school.
He also alleges that “this is a violation of the student’s right to education, besides other environmental violations concerning air, water and noise pollution as well as encroachment of the government land by Sesa Goa.”
A teacher-cum-activist Ramesh Gawas also pointed out that “this school was started in the year1964 much before the mining activities commenced there. At that time, the area was 600 sq metres but now it is nearly 250 sq metres.” Gawas added “there is no play ground for the students.” He further lamented that this is the state of all the schools functioning in the mining areas and that the low admission rate in these schools could be attributed to the ongoing mining activities and their hazards.
Gomantak Times, September 24, 2009, Panaji
Panjim: It is a common knowledge that mining activities being undertaken in the hinterlands of the state affect the flora and fauna but a study by a human rights activist Adv Krishnendu Mukherjee has now brought a startling reality to the fore, schools in the Sattari taluka are also badly affected by the mines resulting in a decrease in a the attendance of the students studying there.
Adv Mukherjee conducted a research of the Sonshi school, Sattari in the last twon months that was presented by anti-mining activist Seby Rodrigues at institute Piedade recently. In the research, it was stated that this school is surrounded by five mines, including Sesa Goa.
This Marathi-medium government primary school has one teacher for just 12 students whose attendance is on decline due to the mining activity, says the study that also points out to further hardships being faced by the school during the monsoons.
During the monsoons, the polluted rainwater from the mines flows near the school. So also the mining rejects are being dumped within 10 metres from the school steps. Besides, the school lacks running water facility due to the presence of a beneficiation plant of Sesa Goa that is operational from 2003 in this area, states Mukherjee, who further claims that the Goa Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has not done any test on the air and water around the school.
He also alleges that “this is a violation of the student’s right to education, besides other environmental violations concerning air, water and noise pollution as well as encroachment of the government land by Sesa Goa.”
A teacher-cum-activist Ramesh Gawas also pointed out that “this school was started in the year1964 much before the mining activities commenced there. At that time, the area was 600 sq metres but now it is nearly 250 sq metres.” Gawas added “there is no play ground for the students.” He further lamented that this is the state of all the schools functioning in the mining areas and that the low admission rate in these schools could be attributed to the ongoing mining activities and their hazards.
Gomantak Times, September 24, 2009, Panaji
Mining Affects edu in rural areas: Study
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: For the 12 students of the government primary school at Sonshi in Sattari taluka, the first wondrous years of learning are a test of endurance in a school located amid the noise of mining machinery, the dust of mines and the sight of red earth all around.
“The view from this school is not of green fields and birds. The children here grow up seeing only red mining dust,” said anti-mining activist Seby Rodrigues. Through a slide presentation to the media, Rodrigues portrayed how mining has adversely affected the primary school in Sonshi. However, he added that the Sonshi is only one example of how mining has affected the primary education of young children in many parts of Goa. The study was conducted by Krishnendu Mukherjee, a lawyer and environmentalist.
The school had about 600 square metres of land around it when it started in 1964. Subsequently, four mines came up around the school with a fifth mining company setting up its beneficiation plant in front of the school. “Now the school has only about 250 square metres left. Clearly there is an encroachment by the mining companies. There is mining overburden dumped up to 10 meters from the steps of the school,” said Rodrigues.
The study shows how during the monsoons, polluted rainwater runs close to the school. At other times of the year, the children have to bear the elevated noise and dust levels within the school caused by heavy machinery and trucks. The study expresses fears that the mining slurry may contain arsenic and cause contamination due to polluted waters. According to the study, the Goa state pollution control board has not conducted any tests on air, water or noise pollution surrounding the school.
Mukherjee said that one aim of the study is to establish whether there are violations by the mining companies and also by the education department. ‘Mining should improve the local economy. But here we have a case where children are adversely affected by it. Our study is ongoing and we are waiting for evidence of violations. On the face of it, this seems to be the case. We will give our findings to the government and the mining companies,” Mukherjee said.
His research began in April 2008, but information has been hard to obtain. The education department “failed to give any proper responses” under RTI. Also, the lone teacher at the school is reluctant to say anything for fear of losing his job. And may be his life. After the teacher spoke to the researcher, a guard was posted outside the school for few days. The teacher has requested for a transfer several times. All his requests have been denied.
Has the number of students at Sonshi school decreased? Mukherjee said he is awaiting this information which he has applied for under RTI from the education department. But apparently, the children of Sonshi do not have much of a choice. The next government primary school is in Sanquelim, 10 kilometers away.
Times of India, September 24, 2009, Panaji
Panaji: For the 12 students of the government primary school at Sonshi in Sattari taluka, the first wondrous years of learning are a test of endurance in a school located amid the noise of mining machinery, the dust of mines and the sight of red earth all around.
“The view from this school is not of green fields and birds. The children here grow up seeing only red mining dust,” said anti-mining activist Seby Rodrigues. Through a slide presentation to the media, Rodrigues portrayed how mining has adversely affected the primary school in Sonshi. However, he added that the Sonshi is only one example of how mining has affected the primary education of young children in many parts of Goa. The study was conducted by Krishnendu Mukherjee, a lawyer and environmentalist.
The school had about 600 square metres of land around it when it started in 1964. Subsequently, four mines came up around the school with a fifth mining company setting up its beneficiation plant in front of the school. “Now the school has only about 250 square metres left. Clearly there is an encroachment by the mining companies. There is mining overburden dumped up to 10 meters from the steps of the school,” said Rodrigues.
The study shows how during the monsoons, polluted rainwater runs close to the school. At other times of the year, the children have to bear the elevated noise and dust levels within the school caused by heavy machinery and trucks. The study expresses fears that the mining slurry may contain arsenic and cause contamination due to polluted waters. According to the study, the Goa state pollution control board has not conducted any tests on air, water or noise pollution surrounding the school.
Mukherjee said that one aim of the study is to establish whether there are violations by the mining companies and also by the education department. ‘Mining should improve the local economy. But here we have a case where children are adversely affected by it. Our study is ongoing and we are waiting for evidence of violations. On the face of it, this seems to be the case. We will give our findings to the government and the mining companies,” Mukherjee said.
His research began in April 2008, but information has been hard to obtain. The education department “failed to give any proper responses” under RTI. Also, the lone teacher at the school is reluctant to say anything for fear of losing his job. And may be his life. After the teacher spoke to the researcher, a guard was posted outside the school for few days. The teacher has requested for a transfer several times. All his requests have been denied.
Has the number of students at Sonshi school decreased? Mukherjee said he is awaiting this information which he has applied for under RTI from the education department. But apparently, the children of Sonshi do not have much of a choice. The next government primary school is in Sanquelim, 10 kilometers away.
Times of India, September 24, 2009, Panaji
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