Goa today is battling mining industry. People from all over Goa have gathered in Colamb village of Sanguem Taluka in solidarity with the local villagers. According to the reports received at 12.50 pm Fomentos are forced to close down the mining activities today morning.
Goa Police team headed by Quepem PI Santosh Desai has reached mining site with six police personnel. In peaceful Colamb village Fomentos have lost their sleep as the company was patrolling the site the whole night and the senior official of mining company - that owns Cidade de Goa five star hotel patronized by Government of Goa - is camping the mine from 7 am in the morning.
Fomentos are avid Portuguese loyalist as they were awarded mining leases by erstwhile Portuguese colonial regime and continue to be loyal till date. In fact its boss and Managing Director - Audooth Timblo - is listed to be present for Portuguese Government's function today and tomorrow evening.
Colamb villagers have submitted up teem number of memorandums to various authorities to shut down this mine but authorities have behaved deaf.
Sebastian Rodrigues
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Failure of Governance in Goa to benefit mining industry
It looks like that is a failure in governance in Goa when it comes to at least mining industry. Even after petitioning the authorities such as Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, Goa Pollution Control Board, Director of Mines, Director General of Police etc on various aspects of destruction caused by mining industry there has been no response to people's grievances at all.
Here is one example of letter written to authorities and ignored by Goa Government. Wonder how long mining mockery of Goa and its people will continue.
Sebastian Rodrigues
Monday, November 10, 2008
STOP MINING TERRORISM IN GOA NOW!
Perhaps you are aware, perhaps you are not aware that mining posses formidable threat to the Goas’ survival. Yet it is true; mining has been terrorising Goa over the past five decades. People of Goa have tolerated this all these while but they can no longer do so. Hence we share this message with you so that you can take it far and wide as friends and well wishers of Goa and its People.
Due to rampant exports of iron ore to many countries in the World including China and Japan due to demand for steel, our villages in hinterlands – in the talukas of Bicholim, Sattari, Sanguem and Quepem – are facing terror attacks of the mining industry that is largely supported by the government in Power. The Goas’ monstrous mining industry that took birth in the womb of Portuguese Colonialism has only flourished after Goa’s liberation and integration with India. Today it constitutes Goa’s number one enemy that is destroying our water bodies every day. Our majestic green mountains of Western Ghats are being chopped down for exports. Villages in the mining belt are becoming increasing thirsty for water and ironically depending upon the very industry to quench their thirst. Pissurlem village in Sattari Taluka is only one example to this situation.
Mining has damaged agriculture – our paddy fields – and snatched food from our plates. It has silted our rivers so badly that fish no longer spawns, Kushavati river is only an example to this. Our villages are becoming increasing poorer while few mining companies are usurping entire profits. A coterie of people has evolved as contractors of the mining industry and providing their services for speedy destruction of Goa forever. Forever because none of them has ever created Single Mountain that they are robbing today from our future generations.
Our water supply stands badly threatened due to mining activities taking place in the catchment areas of Selaulim, Opa and Assanora Dams.
Our two main rivers are taken over by the mining industry for loading and transportation of ore. Mandovi has 37 loading points with 1500 trips of barges per year while Zuari has 20 loading points with 1800 trips per year. Trips are from loading point to Marmagao Harbour from where the ore is exported in giant ships. Several big open cast iron ore mines operate in the catchment areas on Mandovi and Zuari rivers leading to huge accumulation of silt. Each mine creates rejection between 1000 - 4000 tonnes!
Our protected Area forest too is targeted by the mining industry. After Supreme Court closed down nearly 150 large mines miners have gone to Supreme Court they are permitted to resume around 60 these mining leases. Goa has forest cover of 1224 sq. km in addition to 200 sq. km of private forest.
Number of protest has erupted in Goa today because of mining. However mining companies in collusion with State Police force is involved in beating up and arrests of the protestors in routine manner. Colamb, Advalpal, Cavrem, Sirgao, Pissurlem, Mayem, Usgao, Maina, Khola etc are some of the villages that has have rose to challenge mining industry and are constituting boiling points of directly affected Peoples’ Protests in Goa. Number of tribal villages too is directly at the receiving end of the mining invasion and has challenged the industry.
We request you to take the message out from Goa that mining industry is terrorizing Goa – its people and nature – and we want mining terrorism to stop and Goa to remain prosperous without mining.
Remember constitutes 0.11% of India’s land mass and involved in 35% of India’s iron ore export. We are doing this at the cost of our very survival as people and at the cost of our rivers and water bodies that are source of life. Mining is on project to transform Goa into desert wherein everyone will want to avoid this place forever. No tourism, No fisheries, No IIFI, No agriculture, lots of building with no water running in their taps, No longer green goa as mining converting Goa into bloody red, lots of fights over water and survival assets. Mining companies would have made their money by then- in fact they already have – and settled in Switzerland, France or other green pastures.
Yeah, it is good to know how much money Mining industry has already made over the past few years: In 2003-2004 total legal (there is a huge illegal export that goes unaccounted) iron ore export was 22,942 thousand tonnes fetching Rs.46,457 million. In 2004-2005 total legal iron ore export was 24,717 thousand tonnes earning Rs.61,174.575 million. In 2005-2006 total legal export was 25,314 thousand tonnes at the value of Rs.1,77,198 million.
In addition to this large number of Members of Goa Legislative Assembly (MLAs) has entered into mining business during the past 5 years. That has seriously eroded capacity of Goa legislature to even bother about ongoing mining terrorism.
With Goa’s mining companies earning such a huge income it is hard to explain as to why Goa needs to have deficit budgets. In 2003 budget deficit was 2,141.10 crore rupes, in 2004 it climbed up to 2,615.17 crore rupees, and in 2005 budget deficit short up to 3088.67 crore! It is all because mining industry is juicing out Goa in every possible way! With this earnings Goa would have been highly prosperous State. But it is all round loot of Goa at the behest of handful of Mining companies that Goa urgently has to get rid of.
Stop mining terrorism in Goa NOW!
Gawda Kunbi Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED)
Goa Federation of Mines Affected People (GOAMAP)
Ganv – Ghor Rakhan Manch (GGRM)
For further update log on at www.mandgoa.blogspot.com
Due to rampant exports of iron ore to many countries in the World including China and Japan due to demand for steel, our villages in hinterlands – in the talukas of Bicholim, Sattari, Sanguem and Quepem – are facing terror attacks of the mining industry that is largely supported by the government in Power. The Goas’ monstrous mining industry that took birth in the womb of Portuguese Colonialism has only flourished after Goa’s liberation and integration with India. Today it constitutes Goa’s number one enemy that is destroying our water bodies every day. Our majestic green mountains of Western Ghats are being chopped down for exports. Villages in the mining belt are becoming increasing thirsty for water and ironically depending upon the very industry to quench their thirst. Pissurlem village in Sattari Taluka is only one example to this situation.
Mining has damaged agriculture – our paddy fields – and snatched food from our plates. It has silted our rivers so badly that fish no longer spawns, Kushavati river is only an example to this. Our villages are becoming increasing poorer while few mining companies are usurping entire profits. A coterie of people has evolved as contractors of the mining industry and providing their services for speedy destruction of Goa forever. Forever because none of them has ever created Single Mountain that they are robbing today from our future generations.
Our water supply stands badly threatened due to mining activities taking place in the catchment areas of Selaulim, Opa and Assanora Dams.
Our two main rivers are taken over by the mining industry for loading and transportation of ore. Mandovi has 37 loading points with 1500 trips of barges per year while Zuari has 20 loading points with 1800 trips per year. Trips are from loading point to Marmagao Harbour from where the ore is exported in giant ships. Several big open cast iron ore mines operate in the catchment areas on Mandovi and Zuari rivers leading to huge accumulation of silt. Each mine creates rejection between 1000 - 4000 tonnes!
Our protected Area forest too is targeted by the mining industry. After Supreme Court closed down nearly 150 large mines miners have gone to Supreme Court they are permitted to resume around 60 these mining leases. Goa has forest cover of 1224 sq. km in addition to 200 sq. km of private forest.
Number of protest has erupted in Goa today because of mining. However mining companies in collusion with State Police force is involved in beating up and arrests of the protestors in routine manner. Colamb, Advalpal, Cavrem, Sirgao, Pissurlem, Mayem, Usgao, Maina, Khola etc are some of the villages that has have rose to challenge mining industry and are constituting boiling points of directly affected Peoples’ Protests in Goa. Number of tribal villages too is directly at the receiving end of the mining invasion and has challenged the industry.
We request you to take the message out from Goa that mining industry is terrorizing Goa – its people and nature – and we want mining terrorism to stop and Goa to remain prosperous without mining.
Remember constitutes 0.11% of India’s land mass and involved in 35% of India’s iron ore export. We are doing this at the cost of our very survival as people and at the cost of our rivers and water bodies that are source of life. Mining is on project to transform Goa into desert wherein everyone will want to avoid this place forever. No tourism, No fisheries, No IIFI, No agriculture, lots of building with no water running in their taps, No longer green goa as mining converting Goa into bloody red, lots of fights over water and survival assets. Mining companies would have made their money by then- in fact they already have – and settled in Switzerland, France or other green pastures.
Yeah, it is good to know how much money Mining industry has already made over the past few years: In 2003-2004 total legal (there is a huge illegal export that goes unaccounted) iron ore export was 22,942 thousand tonnes fetching Rs.46,457 million. In 2004-2005 total legal iron ore export was 24,717 thousand tonnes earning Rs.61,174.575 million. In 2005-2006 total legal export was 25,314 thousand tonnes at the value of Rs.1,77,198 million.
In addition to this large number of Members of Goa Legislative Assembly (MLAs) has entered into mining business during the past 5 years. That has seriously eroded capacity of Goa legislature to even bother about ongoing mining terrorism.
With Goa’s mining companies earning such a huge income it is hard to explain as to why Goa needs to have deficit budgets. In 2003 budget deficit was 2,141.10 crore rupes, in 2004 it climbed up to 2,615.17 crore rupees, and in 2005 budget deficit short up to 3088.67 crore! It is all because mining industry is juicing out Goa in every possible way! With this earnings Goa would have been highly prosperous State. But it is all round loot of Goa at the behest of handful of Mining companies that Goa urgently has to get rid of.
Stop mining terrorism in Goa NOW!
Gawda Kunbi Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED)
Goa Federation of Mines Affected People (GOAMAP)
Ganv – Ghor Rakhan Manch (GGRM)
For further update log on at www.mandgoa.blogspot.com
Friday, November 7, 2008
Colamb villagers serve urgent notice on Fomento mining
From:
Villagers of Colomba, Rivona
C/o Rama Velip, H.No. 36
Colomba, Rivona
Date: 07/11/2008
To,
The Director,
Department of Mines,
Government of Goa,
Panaji – Goa.
Respected Sir,
Sub: Request to stop the mining of Hiralal Khodidas Mine T.C. No. 06/1949 at Colomba, Sanguem immediately.
In reference to the above subject, we the villagers of Colomba village request you to take immediately. This request is made to you because of the following reasons:-
1. The mine is destroying our paddy fields.
2. The mine is destroying our paddy fields.
3. The mine is destroying the water bodies of the place.
4. The mine is causing silting of Kushawati River.
The main source of livelihood of the villagers is agriculture. This has been seriously affected. So we request you once again to stop the mine immediately, failing which we the villagers will be forced to stop the same in peaceful way.
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
Rama L. Velip
Villagers of Colomba, Rivona
C/o Rama Velip, H.No. 36
Colomba, Rivona
Date: 07/11/2008
To,
The Director,
Department of Mines,
Government of Goa,
Panaji – Goa.
Respected Sir,
Sub: Request to stop the mining of Hiralal Khodidas Mine T.C. No. 06/1949 at Colomba, Sanguem immediately.
In reference to the above subject, we the villagers of Colomba village request you to take immediately. This request is made to you because of the following reasons:-
1. The mine is destroying our paddy fields.
2. The mine is destroying our paddy fields.
3. The mine is destroying the water bodies of the place.
4. The mine is causing silting of Kushawati River.
The main source of livelihood of the villagers is agriculture. This has been seriously affected. So we request you once again to stop the mine immediately, failing which we the villagers will be forced to stop the same in peaceful way.
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
Rama L. Velip
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Eco-friendly vs Eco-hostile development in Goa
“Rivulet bursts into flames at Sancoale” read the front page story on Herald yesterday 2nd November 2008. The incident narrates the sad state of affairs Goa is gripped with. Our rivulets are on fire. Our wells are on fire. Burning rivers is a sign indeed of extremely sad state of affairs in our midst in Goa. The report mentions that is the seepage of petroleum products that has made rivulet and the surrounding wells ripe to go on fire. Nearby industries in Port Town of Vasco are squarely responsible for this state is anyone’s sensible guess. The authorities that are not able to pin down the cause and identify the culprit are another joking matter that deserves public attention. Of course investigations have been imitated by Goa State Pollution Control Board (GPSCB)!
The Sancoale rivulet on fire is only one example of the manner in which development in Goa has been grossly anti-nature. There are several other examples wherein the situations are no better. The entire mining belt of India has done massive damage to our water bodies. Our rivers are massively silted with mining rejects, natural springs dried up, wells are without water and dangerous water crisis has hit the mining belt. The crisis is threatening to hit the coastal belt as well with rampant mining in Selaulim Dam watershed.
Mining industry is leading all round destruction of Goa. Water shortages that are to hit us in near future is direct fall out of this situation. Tourism and rampant construction activities are steadily destroying water bodies of Coastal Goa. Due to leakages in septic tanks ground water is increasingly getting polluted. This is unhealthy development – hostile to nature.
Besides mining, tourism and Construction lobby, it is automobile industry that is responsible for large scale ecologically undesirable development. With increasing number of vehicles everyday, the demand for new roads and widening of existing roads, including widening of existing highways is gaining currency. These roads are beneficial to industry alone. Six lane highway road widening projects of the state government of Goa is another example to this pro-automobile industry drives.
Automobile industry does not stop at the influencing State policies alone. It has also influences civil institutions such as spaces around Temples and Churches in Goa. Through out my childhood I visited St. Anthony’s Church in my village of Siolim. Its compound used to be very cool and I used to enjoy direct contact with the mud. Over a past decade or so things changed: church decided to tar the compound wall that now caters as superb parking slot for vehicles of those coming to the church on Sundays and other days. Now it is tarred and gets heated up! I miss something every time I look at it. No doubt it has benefited few individuals; automobile industry captured one more frontier – the church compound. One only need to count number of Church compounds and Temple compounds in Goa that are tarred there by increasing temperature on ground specially during sunlight. This is another unhealthy development practice adopted by our society.
The re-thinking on development paradigm that is eco-hostile has to come from society more so from popular folk level. This so because our scientific establishment has meet bought off largely by industry that is bent upon generating large scale eco-hostile development projects. Media then is roped in to manufacture consent for its acceptance. The essence these projects being eco-hostile necessarily needs lots of coxing for its acceptance in society. If it does not work then coercion is deployed – legal and administrative coercion. Democratic processes are subverted – as it is happening in recent attempt of the State-Industry combine to win themselves legitimacy through various regional plans under intense debate in Goa since 2005.
The current rise in articulation levels of the People in Goa is very healthy sign. The response in the face of pain is cry – soft or loud – that expresses the state of affairs. The protests and their current state in Goa is exactly this. They have rose up to say what they do not want. It is heartening that people in Goa have rose up to express pain and say what they do not need – Commercial housing, Mining, Special Economic Zones, Casinos to name only few.
There is expressed concern in few quarters in Goa that that this is too negative an orientation of movement and it needs kind of positive agenda to change its contents and image. This is a legitimate concern and must be addressed on priority. One guiding principle that comes to mind as I reflect: Movements must identify and document water bodies and their details and must vow to defend them at all cost as the water is source of life on this planet earth that we inhabit. After identifying series of water bodies identify the linkages of these in their daily lives with regard to water and related security and independence. Then identify the water sources and ground water bodies’ network that is prevalent in once city and village.
From water one needs to move on to food cultivation spaces and move towards making Goa food self dependence. Land is crucial in this endeavour. We need to decide whether to continue dishing out of our precious land to Real Estate, Industry and Mining or to reverse the trends. These concerns have to come centrally on the agenda of the movements.
It is not enough to think on eco-friendly development pattern, land ownership patterns and the way they have been changing from the time of Portuguese Colonial beginnings in 1510 needs to be understood. My study on the large tracks of land under occupation of Aldeia de Goa in Nauxi-Bambolim in Tiswadi taluka has brought forth these sharp asymmetries emerging in land ownership patterns over this period. In 2010 we are about to complete 500 years of Portuguese landing in Goa. It is a very good time to attempt a critical assessment of the development paradigms that we have in place. It is also very good time begin serious efforts to move towards paradigm shift in term of ideas and notion of development. This is needed both from the perspective of ecology and well as from the perspective of direct democracy.
Sebastian Rodrigues
The Sancoale rivulet on fire is only one example of the manner in which development in Goa has been grossly anti-nature. There are several other examples wherein the situations are no better. The entire mining belt of India has done massive damage to our water bodies. Our rivers are massively silted with mining rejects, natural springs dried up, wells are without water and dangerous water crisis has hit the mining belt. The crisis is threatening to hit the coastal belt as well with rampant mining in Selaulim Dam watershed.
Mining industry is leading all round destruction of Goa. Water shortages that are to hit us in near future is direct fall out of this situation. Tourism and rampant construction activities are steadily destroying water bodies of Coastal Goa. Due to leakages in septic tanks ground water is increasingly getting polluted. This is unhealthy development – hostile to nature.
Besides mining, tourism and Construction lobby, it is automobile industry that is responsible for large scale ecologically undesirable development. With increasing number of vehicles everyday, the demand for new roads and widening of existing roads, including widening of existing highways is gaining currency. These roads are beneficial to industry alone. Six lane highway road widening projects of the state government of Goa is another example to this pro-automobile industry drives.
Automobile industry does not stop at the influencing State policies alone. It has also influences civil institutions such as spaces around Temples and Churches in Goa. Through out my childhood I visited St. Anthony’s Church in my village of Siolim. Its compound used to be very cool and I used to enjoy direct contact with the mud. Over a past decade or so things changed: church decided to tar the compound wall that now caters as superb parking slot for vehicles of those coming to the church on Sundays and other days. Now it is tarred and gets heated up! I miss something every time I look at it. No doubt it has benefited few individuals; automobile industry captured one more frontier – the church compound. One only need to count number of Church compounds and Temple compounds in Goa that are tarred there by increasing temperature on ground specially during sunlight. This is another unhealthy development practice adopted by our society.
The re-thinking on development paradigm that is eco-hostile has to come from society more so from popular folk level. This so because our scientific establishment has meet bought off largely by industry that is bent upon generating large scale eco-hostile development projects. Media then is roped in to manufacture consent for its acceptance. The essence these projects being eco-hostile necessarily needs lots of coxing for its acceptance in society. If it does not work then coercion is deployed – legal and administrative coercion. Democratic processes are subverted – as it is happening in recent attempt of the State-Industry combine to win themselves legitimacy through various regional plans under intense debate in Goa since 2005.
The current rise in articulation levels of the People in Goa is very healthy sign. The response in the face of pain is cry – soft or loud – that expresses the state of affairs. The protests and their current state in Goa is exactly this. They have rose up to say what they do not want. It is heartening that people in Goa have rose up to express pain and say what they do not need – Commercial housing, Mining, Special Economic Zones, Casinos to name only few.
There is expressed concern in few quarters in Goa that that this is too negative an orientation of movement and it needs kind of positive agenda to change its contents and image. This is a legitimate concern and must be addressed on priority. One guiding principle that comes to mind as I reflect: Movements must identify and document water bodies and their details and must vow to defend them at all cost as the water is source of life on this planet earth that we inhabit. After identifying series of water bodies identify the linkages of these in their daily lives with regard to water and related security and independence. Then identify the water sources and ground water bodies’ network that is prevalent in once city and village.
From water one needs to move on to food cultivation spaces and move towards making Goa food self dependence. Land is crucial in this endeavour. We need to decide whether to continue dishing out of our precious land to Real Estate, Industry and Mining or to reverse the trends. These concerns have to come centrally on the agenda of the movements.
It is not enough to think on eco-friendly development pattern, land ownership patterns and the way they have been changing from the time of Portuguese Colonial beginnings in 1510 needs to be understood. My study on the large tracks of land under occupation of Aldeia de Goa in Nauxi-Bambolim in Tiswadi taluka has brought forth these sharp asymmetries emerging in land ownership patterns over this period. In 2010 we are about to complete 500 years of Portuguese landing in Goa. It is a very good time to attempt a critical assessment of the development paradigms that we have in place. It is also very good time begin serious efforts to move towards paradigm shift in term of ideas and notion of development. This is needed both from the perspective of ecology and well as from the perspective of direct democracy.
Sebastian Rodrigues
Mining transport stopped at Cavrem
Tension rose high in Cavrem Quepem on Monday when a mining truck driver drove his truck in a rash and negligent manner endangering the life of a motorcycle rider from Velipwada Cavrem.
The incident occured at around 11.30 AM when the truck loaded with iron ore was proceeding towards Tank where the ore is stacked, when reached at a narrow bridge at cavrem drove the truck in a rash and endanger manner thereby risking the life motorcycle rider Thulo Velip who was proceeding to his house at Velipwada. However said Thulo Velip escaped unhurt. The irritated villagers noted the number of the truck and all the villagers who were working in the paddy field marched on the main road and stopped the truck involved in rash and negligent driving while returning. The irritated villagers then manhandled the driver of the said truck.
It seems that the truck was transporting the ore from magnum mine operating in survey number 27/1 and 27/2 and transport contractor of which is Balli Zilla Panchayat member Subhash Phaldessai. The villagers then stopped the entire mining transport from operating on the road. They demanded the appearance of the contractor at the site. At around 1.30 Quepem police appeared at the spot and in the process of diffusing the situation requested the villager to allowed the loaded truck to go.
That at the request of the police the villagers allowed the loaded truck which were blocked to go but with a condition that till the contractor appeared before the villagers and meet their demand no transport should be started. It is learnt that the transport is be operated by Balli Zilla panchayat member Subash Fall Dessai who was once upon a time a strong opposer of mining at a Public hearing held at Fatorpa regarding the Bauxite mine has recently turned into a mining contractor has decided to meet the villagers on Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile the villagers of Cavrem informed herald that at the time of starting the transport the contractor assured the villagers that the transportation will be done with due care without endangering the life of the villagers , however within the last few months three to four cases of negligent driving their by endangering the life of the villagers.
John Fernandes
The incident occured at around 11.30 AM when the truck loaded with iron ore was proceeding towards Tank where the ore is stacked, when reached at a narrow bridge at cavrem drove the truck in a rash and endanger manner thereby risking the life motorcycle rider Thulo Velip who was proceeding to his house at Velipwada. However said Thulo Velip escaped unhurt. The irritated villagers noted the number of the truck and all the villagers who were working in the paddy field marched on the main road and stopped the truck involved in rash and negligent driving while returning. The irritated villagers then manhandled the driver of the said truck.
It seems that the truck was transporting the ore from magnum mine operating in survey number 27/1 and 27/2 and transport contractor of which is Balli Zilla Panchayat member Subhash Phaldessai. The villagers then stopped the entire mining transport from operating on the road. They demanded the appearance of the contractor at the site. At around 1.30 Quepem police appeared at the spot and in the process of diffusing the situation requested the villager to allowed the loaded truck to go.
That at the request of the police the villagers allowed the loaded truck which were blocked to go but with a condition that till the contractor appeared before the villagers and meet their demand no transport should be started. It is learnt that the transport is be operated by Balli Zilla panchayat member Subash Fall Dessai who was once upon a time a strong opposer of mining at a Public hearing held at Fatorpa regarding the Bauxite mine has recently turned into a mining contractor has decided to meet the villagers on Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile the villagers of Cavrem informed herald that at the time of starting the transport the contractor assured the villagers that the transportation will be done with due care without endangering the life of the villagers , however within the last few months three to four cases of negligent driving their by endangering the life of the villagers.
John Fernandes
Monday, November 3, 2008
XII NEST Annual Conference at Dandeli
NATURE ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY & TRANSFORMATIONS
(Email: ne_st@rediffmail.com)
269, Panda vaddo, Chorao, Tiswadi, Goa 403 102 (Ph. 0832 2239968)
12th Annual Conference on PROTECTED AREAS & HERITAGE
22nd – 24th December, 2008
Wildlife Education And Training Centre, Kulgi,
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctury
Mobile: 0958284291831
Landline: (08284) 231585
Dedication: This conference is dedicated to the memory of REKHA - our friend and leading activist who departed from us on 11th August 2008 in Belgaum.
ABOUT NEST: It is a nonfunded voluntary organization completing 14 years of its activities. It is founded by Prof. Bikram Das Gupta, Department of Chemistry, Goa University, Goa. The theoretical focus is holistic & interdisciplinary. NEST as an organization is an interface between the Academicians, Professionals, Activists, Workers & Common People to enhance and consolidate the understanding of the pressing problems. The group is also involved in solidarity meets with different groups of people threatened by development paradigm. Annual commemorations of Hiroshima Day, May Day & Environment Day etc are other NEST activities. The following are the themes of last 11 years:
(Email: ne_st@rediffmail.com)
269, Panda vaddo, Chorao, Tiswadi, Goa 403 102 (Ph. 0832 2239968)
12th Annual Conference on PROTECTED AREAS & HERITAGE
22nd – 24th December, 2008
Wildlife Education And Training Centre, Kulgi,
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctury
Mobile: 0958284291831
Landline: (08284) 231585
Dedication: This conference is dedicated to the memory of REKHA - our friend and leading activist who departed from us on 11th August 2008 in Belgaum.
ABOUT NEST: It is a nonfunded voluntary organization completing 14 years of its activities. It is founded by Prof. Bikram Das Gupta, Department of Chemistry, Goa University, Goa. The theoretical focus is holistic & interdisciplinary. NEST as an organization is an interface between the Academicians, Professionals, Activists, Workers & Common People to enhance and consolidate the understanding of the pressing problems. The group is also involved in solidarity meets with different groups of people threatened by development paradigm. Annual commemorations of Hiroshima Day, May Day & Environment Day etc are other NEST activities. The following are the themes of last 11 years:
- ‘Nature Society & Transformations, Peaceful Society, Madkai, Goa.
- ‘Development and its consequences’, Peaceful Society, Madkai, Goa.
- ‘Development and its consequences’, Govt. School, Mencurem, Goa.
- ‘Institutions, Ideologies & Knowledge Systems’, Zantye College, Bicholim, Goa.
- ‘Science & Education in Historical Perspective’, Kamleshwar High School, Korgaon, Goa.
- ‘Dynamics of Order & Disorder in Nature & Society: Chaos, Systems Theory & Chaocomlexology’, New Leed Trust, Kalyanapuram, Tamilnadu.
- ‘Peoples Resources & Resistence’, Madras Christian College, Tambaram, Tamilnadu.
- ‘Indigenous people’, IDC, Ranchi, Jharkhand.
- ‘Political Economy’, Liberty Library, Mahanandwadi, Kerala.
- ‘Women, Workers & Humanism’, Shikshak Bhavan, Pune, Maharastra.
- ‘Transnational Corporations, People & the State’, Mahale Hall, Chorao, Goa.
PROTECTED AREAS AND HERITAGE:
Subtopics
SANCTUARIES: Wildlife, Man & Animal conflict, Eco-tourism, Eviction & rehabilitation, Modern Developmental activities (Mines, Dams, Industries etc.)
RESERVE FOREST: Forest Dwellers, Environmental Laws, Joint Forest Management, Forest Fire, Forest Roads, Flora & Fauna.
MOUNTAINS: Peoples, Degradation of Mountains, Burn & Slash Agriculture, Land slides, Mountain Climbing.
HERITAGE: Monuments, Cave Paintings, Rock Carvings, Traditional Patterns, Folklore, Coral reefs, Lakes, Rivers, Rivulets, Ponds, Streams, Ground Water, Canals, Oceans and Bio-diversity.
DANDELI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY nestles in the Northern stretch of the Western Ghats ecosystem situated in Haliyal and Joida Talukas of Uttara Kannada District of Karnataka. It extends over an area of 475 Sq kms. This sanctuary forms the Northern limit of the South Indian Elephant’s natural sojourn.
Fauna: Tiger, Panther, Wild Dog, Gaur, Sambar, Cheetal, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Bear, Langur, King Cobra, Blue throated Bulbul etc.
WEATHER: Warm clothes are required.
VENUE: Kulgi Nature Camp is 12 kms away from Dandeli towards Ambika Nagar. Dharward 60 kms via Dandeli. Belgaum 90 kms via Dandeli and Karwar is 100 Kms. The nearest Railway station is Alnawar which is 33 kms from the venue & the Airport is Dabolim, Goa.
PARTICIPATORY CONTRIBUTION:-
Accomodation: 10 tents with common bath & Toilets Rs. 290/- (2 × 2) = 20 per day
2 Tents with attached bath & toilet (2 × 2) = 4 Rs. 500/- Per Day
Domitory with common bath & Toilet Rs. 75/- (15 beds) Per Day
Food: Rs. 100/- per day per person.
Safari: 24th December Morning 5.30 a.m. – 9.00 a.m. (Tentative)
Vehicle charges Rs. 100
Entry fee Rs. 40 (Rs. 20/- for children)
Rs. 140 per person
Facilities for Dining Hall, Confence Hall with LCD, white Board etc. are available.
ORGANISING COMMITTEES:-
MAHENDRA KUMMAR,
Director, Green India Foundation,
Dandeli, Dist. Karwar, Karnataka.
09448722850 (M)
DAYA GAWDE
Kunbi Community Centre
Joida, Dist. Karwar,
09449628361 (M)
KIRTI GAONKAR
Secretary, Eco Conservation Organisation
Dandeli, Dist. Karwar, Karnataka
09448009398 (M)
BASTIYAV SIDDI
District Tribal Network Forum
Haliyal, Dist. Karwar, Karnataka
09900429277 (M)
CO-ORDIANTORS
ANAND VELIP
Valkini 2, Sanguem, Goa.
09823593358 (M)
ABHIJIT PRABHUDESAI
Curtorim, Salcete, Goa.
0832-22786221 (R)
NANDA GAWAS
Department of Mathematics
Goa University, Goa.
09881332807 (M)
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The reason for locking up Cheryl...
The following article was posted on Goanet by Hartman de Souza on October 12, 2008
*Why they put four women in the jug…*
Yesterday afternoon at around three in the afternoon, in Maina, Quepem, forty-six year old Cheryl D'Souza, her nine-year old daughter Aki, her mother Dora, aged eighty-four, and two women from their household, Rita and Shashikala, were manhandled by the police (after they had been attacked bygoons from the mining company) and put in a cell at Quepem police station.
Before one reads political ambitions in Cheryl's actions, her own take isthat it was a *last ditch* resort, a necessary bit of theatre to focus attention on the ironies of this whole scam they call 'mining' in Goa.
She was joined by Father Mathias from Sulcorna, and Rama Velip and someothers from Collomb, both villages under threat from mining operations andwho had pledged their unstinting resolve to stand by her side. The Goans were joined by Kurush Canteenwala, a filmmaker from Mumbai, who caught thebus the evening before to join them in their protest on Saturday morning. In June, he had already visited Maina and Collomb and north Goa, shooting his short, but blistering documentary on mining, titled 'Goa, Going, Gone', busy doing the rounds.
At the last meeting of the anti-mining committee she attended in Panjim, Cheryl was told in no uncertain terms by Dr. Claude Alvares, who ought to know, given his unstinting resolve in the matter, that she could expect no recourse from the courts and had to, perforce, take the fight to the streets. The mining's started again, she told the committee, I see the trucks getting ready, and they're lining up on the road outside the mine.You stop them, is the message she got, don't take it lying down…which is exactly what she did.
At Cheryl's request, Saby Rodrigues joined her to show solidarity andsupport. I don't have the exact numbers sitting here in Paud… I get the basis of this account from Cheryl over phone last night, from the hospital.They were taken there after languishing in a cell while the goons and police paced outside working out how best to work things out so that the mining continues from Monday morning. Cheryl tells me they've bashed both the cars…
CNN IBN, NDTV 24/7, even BBC were informed about the illegal mining operations in Quepem in late May and right through the monsoons, but allsighed off, saying they had already done a 'story' on it. Cheryl's joked about this before, saying, that it needed her head to be broken before they think it's 'news'. Her protest was intended to be dramatic; she would block the road in front of the mine with the cars and chain Aki, Dora, Rita Shashikala and herself to them. The men would stand to the side and offer support.
It did not pan out that smoothly. From nine in the morning their protest had the mining company abuzz, with managers and drivers in a tizzy. By late evening, goons led by a young political aspirant, perhaps even a staunchally of the Chief Minister for all one knows, attacked the male supporters standing by. Cheryl's driver, Kasim, was beaten up; twenty men pounced on the young, tough Goan (with experience in Iraq) Cheryl hired to protect her family. Saby's camera was smashed. Kurush had his glasses broken, and was kicked several times while he was on the ground. Cheryl tells me she unlocked the chain and went to stop the goons. She was abused in the vilest language, the goons and their leader telling her exactly what they would like to do to her to show her who's the boss. The police inspector and his posse arrived and stood by while all this was happening, tapping his batonon his palm and staring at Cheryl.
To Cheryl's great misfortune, CNN IBN and NDTV 24/7 may still feel she doesn't make it to the news at 9, but her actions may just highlight the political skulduggery at work, and give people the chance to bring Goa backto the rails with honest politicians. Last night, villagers from Benaulim hit by the corrupt practices of builders showed up outside the police station, and today at 6 in the evening I'm told there's a meeting in Margaoto plan out where to go.
When one says Cheryl's was a last ditch battle, this is true.
It was Digamber Kamat himself who said there would be a *blanket ban* on mining until his cabinet's Draft Mineral Policy (DMP) was properly discussed. He said this at his house when he met some 25 people frommine-affected areas at his house the day before the DMP was made public. He said this in response to a statement that the mining operations in Quepem were illegal and in front of noted activists like Dr. Claude Alvares, RameshGauns, Saby Rodrigues and many others.
A few months back, during the rains, one of the mining companies (owned by a minister in the government no less) cut down about forty trees in the area adjacent to her land. Cheryl and her lawyer immediately filed complaints. The matter was hushed up, in spite of investigations carried out by forestryofficials. What to do, one honest official told her, all the fellows in the south have been bought.
For the last fourteen years Cheryl D'Souza and her late husband, Tony, developed their property to be a viable and profitable farm. When they bought it, borrowing to do so, they got it dirt-cheap. When they first tested soil on their land, they were told it's rich in iron, they could be millionaires. They laughed and built their house over the richest lode. Both actively worked closely with honest forest official Archana Singh to stop illegal felling of trees, mining of river stones, and illegal poaching. Cheryl slaved in marketing to pay back the loans and bring home the bacon,while Tony worked on the land with help from the agricultural department.
Cheryl has been under threat ever since Tony passed away in a tragic accident. Because Tony was tough, no one dared to talk about mining. For the last year, the mining has come closer and even closer.
A wise man said recently that "Democracy must be something more than twowolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner". What's happening inQuepem right now, in villages from Kawrem, Maina, Collomb and all the waysouth to Sulcorna, makes those words come back. What we have here a large mine-owner contracting out his dirty work to other mining companies, who, in turn, contract this dirty work out to a few other dirty, fly-by-night miningoperations of the base sort.
These above mentioned wolves, aided by truck-drivers who've taken loans from them, are intent on destroying the environment. There is nothing less than that in their minds. I can write about the majesty of a spring in Maina till the cows come home, they will rip the water from the ground. They want to do to Quepem (*in spite of what the draft Regional Plan pronounces for it*) what has already been done in the poisoned minefields in north Goa, or what they will soon do around the coastal plateau where the bauxite is.
There are a few other farms in the area too, one a major sugar-cane grower,but these have reasons to sell. The wolves come closer then…around her farm, the minister in question has already moved excavators in, ready to dig up land that has hitherto been used to farm sugarcane. The land owner sold out,in the process cheating the widowed wife of his brother out of her share.
Cheryl herself was offered an astronomical sum to sell her property. She laughed and said how it was enough to pack up everything, including the house and dogs, and just move to New Zealand. Then lighting a cigarette,saying, "yes, but I'd never be able to look at myself in the mirror again.Tony was cremated on the land two years and some back. He loved this damnplace, I hated it, full of snakes and all sorts of creepy crawly things,give me a damn flat in Margao any day is what she used to say. Tony was the environmentalist dabbling with organic techniques, she was happy either reading or watching TV when not working." Then, after Tony died, she changedher mind about the place. "It grew on me" she says, "I thought of doing something in Tony's memory. She figured out there were so many young children in the villages, what it really needed was a good school. That's what he said too, Cheryl says. Before she could think that idea through though, two huge hills disappeared in less than eight months. Overnight, she re-educated herself on the environment.
Four days before she chained herself and immediate household to the cars, she sought an audience with the chief minister, telling him what a minister in his government was about to do. He told Cheryl his hands were tied, he was helpless…
Hartman de Souza teaches theatre arts at the Mahindra United World College in Paud, Maharashtra.
*Why they put four women in the jug…*
Yesterday afternoon at around three in the afternoon, in Maina, Quepem, forty-six year old Cheryl D'Souza, her nine-year old daughter Aki, her mother Dora, aged eighty-four, and two women from their household, Rita and Shashikala, were manhandled by the police (after they had been attacked bygoons from the mining company) and put in a cell at Quepem police station.
Before one reads political ambitions in Cheryl's actions, her own take isthat it was a *last ditch* resort, a necessary bit of theatre to focus attention on the ironies of this whole scam they call 'mining' in Goa.
She was joined by Father Mathias from Sulcorna, and Rama Velip and someothers from Collomb, both villages under threat from mining operations andwho had pledged their unstinting resolve to stand by her side. The Goans were joined by Kurush Canteenwala, a filmmaker from Mumbai, who caught thebus the evening before to join them in their protest on Saturday morning. In June, he had already visited Maina and Collomb and north Goa, shooting his short, but blistering documentary on mining, titled 'Goa, Going, Gone', busy doing the rounds.
At the last meeting of the anti-mining committee she attended in Panjim, Cheryl was told in no uncertain terms by Dr. Claude Alvares, who ought to know, given his unstinting resolve in the matter, that she could expect no recourse from the courts and had to, perforce, take the fight to the streets. The mining's started again, she told the committee, I see the trucks getting ready, and they're lining up on the road outside the mine.You stop them, is the message she got, don't take it lying down…which is exactly what she did.
At Cheryl's request, Saby Rodrigues joined her to show solidarity andsupport. I don't have the exact numbers sitting here in Paud… I get the basis of this account from Cheryl over phone last night, from the hospital.They were taken there after languishing in a cell while the goons and police paced outside working out how best to work things out so that the mining continues from Monday morning. Cheryl tells me they've bashed both the cars…
CNN IBN, NDTV 24/7, even BBC were informed about the illegal mining operations in Quepem in late May and right through the monsoons, but allsighed off, saying they had already done a 'story' on it. Cheryl's joked about this before, saying, that it needed her head to be broken before they think it's 'news'. Her protest was intended to be dramatic; she would block the road in front of the mine with the cars and chain Aki, Dora, Rita Shashikala and herself to them. The men would stand to the side and offer support.
It did not pan out that smoothly. From nine in the morning their protest had the mining company abuzz, with managers and drivers in a tizzy. By late evening, goons led by a young political aspirant, perhaps even a staunchally of the Chief Minister for all one knows, attacked the male supporters standing by. Cheryl's driver, Kasim, was beaten up; twenty men pounced on the young, tough Goan (with experience in Iraq) Cheryl hired to protect her family. Saby's camera was smashed. Kurush had his glasses broken, and was kicked several times while he was on the ground. Cheryl tells me she unlocked the chain and went to stop the goons. She was abused in the vilest language, the goons and their leader telling her exactly what they would like to do to her to show her who's the boss. The police inspector and his posse arrived and stood by while all this was happening, tapping his batonon his palm and staring at Cheryl.
To Cheryl's great misfortune, CNN IBN and NDTV 24/7 may still feel she doesn't make it to the news at 9, but her actions may just highlight the political skulduggery at work, and give people the chance to bring Goa backto the rails with honest politicians. Last night, villagers from Benaulim hit by the corrupt practices of builders showed up outside the police station, and today at 6 in the evening I'm told there's a meeting in Margaoto plan out where to go.
When one says Cheryl's was a last ditch battle, this is true.
It was Digamber Kamat himself who said there would be a *blanket ban* on mining until his cabinet's Draft Mineral Policy (DMP) was properly discussed. He said this at his house when he met some 25 people frommine-affected areas at his house the day before the DMP was made public. He said this in response to a statement that the mining operations in Quepem were illegal and in front of noted activists like Dr. Claude Alvares, RameshGauns, Saby Rodrigues and many others.
A few months back, during the rains, one of the mining companies (owned by a minister in the government no less) cut down about forty trees in the area adjacent to her land. Cheryl and her lawyer immediately filed complaints. The matter was hushed up, in spite of investigations carried out by forestryofficials. What to do, one honest official told her, all the fellows in the south have been bought.
For the last fourteen years Cheryl D'Souza and her late husband, Tony, developed their property to be a viable and profitable farm. When they bought it, borrowing to do so, they got it dirt-cheap. When they first tested soil on their land, they were told it's rich in iron, they could be millionaires. They laughed and built their house over the richest lode. Both actively worked closely with honest forest official Archana Singh to stop illegal felling of trees, mining of river stones, and illegal poaching. Cheryl slaved in marketing to pay back the loans and bring home the bacon,while Tony worked on the land with help from the agricultural department.
Cheryl has been under threat ever since Tony passed away in a tragic accident. Because Tony was tough, no one dared to talk about mining. For the last year, the mining has come closer and even closer.
A wise man said recently that "Democracy must be something more than twowolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner". What's happening inQuepem right now, in villages from Kawrem, Maina, Collomb and all the waysouth to Sulcorna, makes those words come back. What we have here a large mine-owner contracting out his dirty work to other mining companies, who, in turn, contract this dirty work out to a few other dirty, fly-by-night miningoperations of the base sort.
These above mentioned wolves, aided by truck-drivers who've taken loans from them, are intent on destroying the environment. There is nothing less than that in their minds. I can write about the majesty of a spring in Maina till the cows come home, they will rip the water from the ground. They want to do to Quepem (*in spite of what the draft Regional Plan pronounces for it*) what has already been done in the poisoned minefields in north Goa, or what they will soon do around the coastal plateau where the bauxite is.
There are a few other farms in the area too, one a major sugar-cane grower,but these have reasons to sell. The wolves come closer then…around her farm, the minister in question has already moved excavators in, ready to dig up land that has hitherto been used to farm sugarcane. The land owner sold out,in the process cheating the widowed wife of his brother out of her share.
Cheryl herself was offered an astronomical sum to sell her property. She laughed and said how it was enough to pack up everything, including the house and dogs, and just move to New Zealand. Then lighting a cigarette,saying, "yes, but I'd never be able to look at myself in the mirror again.Tony was cremated on the land two years and some back. He loved this damnplace, I hated it, full of snakes and all sorts of creepy crawly things,give me a damn flat in Margao any day is what she used to say. Tony was the environmentalist dabbling with organic techniques, she was happy either reading or watching TV when not working." Then, after Tony died, she changedher mind about the place. "It grew on me" she says, "I thought of doing something in Tony's memory. She figured out there were so many young children in the villages, what it really needed was a good school. That's what he said too, Cheryl says. Before she could think that idea through though, two huge hills disappeared in less than eight months. Overnight, she re-educated herself on the environment.
Four days before she chained herself and immediate household to the cars, she sought an audience with the chief minister, telling him what a minister in his government was about to do. He told Cheryl his hands were tied, he was helpless…
Hartman de Souza teaches theatre arts at the Mahindra United World College in Paud, Maharashtra.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Maina Mining in Balli communidade land!
The mining activity is being illegally carried out in Communidade property under survey No.27/1 and 27/2 of Maina village of Quepem taluka by Mr. Ajit V. M. Kadnekar through his contractor Magnum Minerals Pvt. Ltd. having office at Curchorem Goa claims Ex-Attorney of Communidade of Balli Rohidas Datta Phaldessai.
Said Rohidas further claims that as per the information received by him from the mining Department under Right to Information Act that one Voikunth Kadnekar of Margao has a mining lease under T.C. No.12/53 in property Bateagal or Bateaxembugal of Maina village and as per the said information of the mining department the survey number of the said mine are not traceable. However said Kadnekar through his contractor is carrying out mining operation in property Joleracho Dongor under survey No.27/1 and 27/2 which property belongs to the communidade of Balli and in the said property the mining department says that one Shantilal Kushaldas and Irmaos of Margao is having a mining lease . "How can there be two mining leases in one property" wonders Rohidas.
That as per the inquiry there is no property in Maina village by name Bateagal or Bateaxembugal where presently the illegal mining operation is going on. That the NOC issued by the Panchayat for said Kadnekar to construct shed is in survey No.17 but has down construction of weight bridge in survey No.27, alleges said Rohidas.
He further claims that the present illegal activities in communidade property is going on in collusion with the representative of the communidade as the committee of the communidade has given a NOC under Communidade seal to said Kadnekar is without authority and for monetary gains. "I have on 30/9/2008 filed a complaint before the administrative of Communidade and before the Mamlatdar of Quepem on 24/9/2008 to take action in the matter but the authorities are yet to act in the matter and the mine is in operation in full swing which shows that everybody has a share in the illegality" alledges said Rohidas.
"Due to the operation of the illegal mine the low lying paddy of the communidade has been badly affected. If the mine continue further than entire paddy field and other cultivation in the area will be affected" says Rohidas further.
John Fernandes
Said Rohidas further claims that as per the information received by him from the mining Department under Right to Information Act that one Voikunth Kadnekar of Margao has a mining lease under T.C. No.12/53 in property Bateagal or Bateaxembugal of Maina village and as per the said information of the mining department the survey number of the said mine are not traceable. However said Kadnekar through his contractor is carrying out mining operation in property Joleracho Dongor under survey No.27/1 and 27/2 which property belongs to the communidade of Balli and in the said property the mining department says that one Shantilal Kushaldas and Irmaos of Margao is having a mining lease . "How can there be two mining leases in one property" wonders Rohidas.
That as per the inquiry there is no property in Maina village by name Bateagal or Bateaxembugal where presently the illegal mining operation is going on. That the NOC issued by the Panchayat for said Kadnekar to construct shed is in survey No.17 but has down construction of weight bridge in survey No.27, alleges said Rohidas.
He further claims that the present illegal activities in communidade property is going on in collusion with the representative of the communidade as the committee of the communidade has given a NOC under Communidade seal to said Kadnekar is without authority and for monetary gains. "I have on 30/9/2008 filed a complaint before the administrative of Communidade and before the Mamlatdar of Quepem on 24/9/2008 to take action in the matter but the authorities are yet to act in the matter and the mine is in operation in full swing which shows that everybody has a share in the illegality" alledges said Rohidas.
"Due to the operation of the illegal mine the low lying paddy of the communidade has been badly affected. If the mine continue further than entire paddy field and other cultivation in the area will be affected" says Rohidas further.
John Fernandes
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