Agitation in Colamb now has taken a leaf from Indian Freedom Struggle and gave slogan this night "Fomentos go back!". The decision was taken in the light of attempt by Goa Police attached to Quepem Police station to arrest Colamb villagers on cases filed by mining companies.
According to reports reaching at 7.00 pm Colamb villagers are demanding withrawl of all the cases against them and has resolved not to move away from the Police station, Quepem till Police cases are withdrawn.
It may be recalled that on August 10 in a meeting held in Margao Goa Federation of Mines Affected People (GOAMAP) had passed resolution asking Fomentos to voluntarily abandon its mine in Colamb due to threats to the agriculture and depletion of water table. It is this reason that has compelled patient Colamb villagers to raise the slogan on the lines of Indian Freedom Struggle. anyway all the mining leases in Goa are colonial lgacy and that has to be done away with one day or the other.
It is indeed great news to know about the the slogan "Fomentos go back!"
Sebastian Rodrigues
Monday, October 6, 2008
Tug of war between Colamb villagers, Goa Police in Quepem Police station
Quepem police station has become an acutely contested space between the agitating Colamb villagers and the Goa Police. According to latest information received at 5.55 pm none of the Colamb villagers have been formally arrested. Police are trying to convince the Colamb villagers on legal necessity for law to arrest Colamb People. Actually it is a dire necessity to the badly bruised Fomento mining company to get some breath of relief. Relief to Fomentos actually means poison and destruction to Colamb and to Goa.
Colamb villagers are arguing as to why Fomento mining company - Infrastructure Logistics Private Limited (ILPL) manager is not arrested in spite of written complaints by the Colamb villagers. Police say that they are processing this matter too. Villagers however are not happy with the pace of the processing by Goa Police and wonder whether Fomentos will ever brought to justice for destroying their fields and water bodies.
Fomentos are being battled against not only by Colamb and Advalpal but also by villagers in Kulan near Sindadurg in Maharastra too.
Gawda, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED) President Durgadas Gaonkar has strongly condemned the arms twisting techniques on Colamb villagers and wondered if there has been coup'd tat in home ministry and Ravi Naik has been kicked out as the home minister of Goa and has been taken over by Avadooth Timblo, the Fomento mining company boss.
Sebastian Rodrigues
Colamb villagers are arguing as to why Fomento mining company - Infrastructure Logistics Private Limited (ILPL) manager is not arrested in spite of written complaints by the Colamb villagers. Police say that they are processing this matter too. Villagers however are not happy with the pace of the processing by Goa Police and wonder whether Fomentos will ever brought to justice for destroying their fields and water bodies.
Fomentos are being battled against not only by Colamb and Advalpal but also by villagers in Kulan near Sindadurg in Maharastra too.
Gawda, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED) President Durgadas Gaonkar has strongly condemned the arms twisting techniques on Colamb villagers and wondered if there has been coup'd tat in home ministry and Ravi Naik has been kicked out as the home minister of Goa and has been taken over by Avadooth Timblo, the Fomento mining company boss.
Sebastian Rodrigues
Goa Police-Fomento nexus yet again!
According to the reports received 4.50 pm today from Quepem Police station 9 people are arrested at the instance of Fomentos mining company. Around 200 people are gathered outside police station are demanding their release.
As expected Goa Police is serving as the reliable allly of the Fomento mining company. It is indeed shameful. Time for people of Goa to face the minng industry yet again.
Sebastian Rodrigues
As expected Goa Police is serving as the reliable allly of the Fomento mining company. It is indeed shameful. Time for people of Goa to face the minng industry yet again.
Sebastian Rodrigues
Mining is Goa's enemy number one: GGRM
Ganv Ghor Rakhon Manch today demanded that both the legal as well illegal mines be closed down as mining constitutes Goa's number one enemy.
The sound of protesting women and men from various coastal fishing villages, forest villages and those villages badly affected by mining projects, rang through the air as they thronged the streets of Panjim today. The rally of over five hundred people gathered much attention, as tourists, pedestrians and those hurrying to offices, were stopped by protesting people...
The person of the Gaon Ghor Rakhon Manch(GGRM) read out in detail the memorandum submitted by the people... The Regional Plan 2011 was revoked and while none of it was ever implemented .... things in Goa have got worse after its revocation. Listing their complaints against the Government and state of affairs, GGRM highlighted that while on the one hand big decisions are being taken by the state on mega projects, there is a simultaneous disempowering of local panchayats and gram sabhas and processes leading to village development plans.
Some of the issues highlighted were frauds by the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) in leasing out land for SEZs, a huge water crisis in villages affected by mining industries which have not only extracted water from the area but also polluted the catchment areas, and community lands being blatantly converted to private lands for construction for buildings and minings.
They demanded licenses for commercial constructions be stopped, gram sabhas be empowered and village development plans encouraged, the 128 environmental clearances to mining industries and 98 more recently be withdrawn, that the Goa mining and mineral policy be withdrawn and all mines - legal as well as illegal be closed in Goa as this industry is Goa's enemy number one.
For Pictures please click here.
Sayantoni Datta, SADED-CSDS, New Delhi
The sound of protesting women and men from various coastal fishing villages, forest villages and those villages badly affected by mining projects, rang through the air as they thronged the streets of Panjim today. The rally of over five hundred people gathered much attention, as tourists, pedestrians and those hurrying to offices, were stopped by protesting people...
The person of the Gaon Ghor Rakhon Manch(GGRM) read out in detail the memorandum submitted by the people... The Regional Plan 2011 was revoked and while none of it was ever implemented .... things in Goa have got worse after its revocation. Listing their complaints against the Government and state of affairs, GGRM highlighted that while on the one hand big decisions are being taken by the state on mega projects, there is a simultaneous disempowering of local panchayats and gram sabhas and processes leading to village development plans.
Some of the issues highlighted were frauds by the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) in leasing out land for SEZs, a huge water crisis in villages affected by mining industries which have not only extracted water from the area but also polluted the catchment areas, and community lands being blatantly converted to private lands for construction for buildings and minings.
They demanded licenses for commercial constructions be stopped, gram sabhas be empowered and village development plans encouraged, the 128 environmental clearances to mining industries and 98 more recently be withdrawn, that the Goa mining and mineral policy be withdrawn and all mines - legal as well as illegal be closed in Goa as this industry is Goa's enemy number one.
For Pictures please click here.
Sayantoni Datta, SADED-CSDS, New Delhi
Pez alliance mooted
The people of Colomb Village, Sanguem District live a peaceful life in the pristine forests in Goa bordering Karnataka. This album is a glimpse into their everyday life.
It also shows the location of an all group meeting at Nuem, Khola in Canacona Taluka in South Goa comprising representatives from various villages, who are having to bear the direct brunt of the neo-liberal onslaught of mining industries, Real Estates, SEZs (Special Economic Zones) and CRZs (Coastal Regulation Zones).
The meeting was held at a chapel in the village with Father Henry initiating the proceedings. As a result of the brainstorming on the idea of working together and finding common ground for a united peoples' resistance on the one hand and Panchayat, state government and industrialists on the other, it was decided that 14th November (Children's Day) would be held as a day for mass protests by children - The Black Day.
Also the idea of forming alliances with various groups working on various issues was deliberated. One possible name suggested is Pez alliance. Pez is traditional staple diet of People in Goa. It is also called Canji, Nivol etc and it is prepared with rice and water. Various people connected with Ganv Ghor Rakhan Manch (GGRM), Gawda, Kunbi, Velip Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED), SEZ Watch, Goa Federtion of Mines Affected People (GOAMAP) were present.
Click here for the photo album by Shaweta Anand of SADED-CSDS, Delhi, India
It also shows the location of an all group meeting at Nuem, Khola in Canacona Taluka in South Goa comprising representatives from various villages, who are having to bear the direct brunt of the neo-liberal onslaught of mining industries, Real Estates, SEZs (Special Economic Zones) and CRZs (Coastal Regulation Zones).
The meeting was held at a chapel in the village with Father Henry initiating the proceedings. As a result of the brainstorming on the idea of working together and finding common ground for a united peoples' resistance on the one hand and Panchayat, state government and industrialists on the other, it was decided that 14th November (Children's Day) would be held as a day for mass protests by children - The Black Day.
Also the idea of forming alliances with various groups working on various issues was deliberated. One possible name suggested is Pez alliance. Pez is traditional staple diet of People in Goa. It is also called Canji, Nivol etc and it is prepared with rice and water. Various people connected with Ganv Ghor Rakhan Manch (GGRM), Gawda, Kunbi, Velip Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED), SEZ Watch, Goa Federtion of Mines Affected People (GOAMAP) were present.
Click here for the photo album by Shaweta Anand of SADED-CSDS, Delhi, India
Fomentos back at the Police tricks in Colamb
As the monsoon recedes in Goa and mining season begins, Fomentos are again to their old tricks against Colamb People resisting disappearance of their village from the Map of Goa. According to the Goa Police sources Fomentos have pressurized Goa police to arrest of the villagers from Colamb based on the complaints filed by the mining company last year and this year.
Here is the copy of one call letter:
Quepem Police station
Date: 5/10/2008
To,
1) Rama Velip
2) Motes Antao
3) Rajanikant Velip
4) Telu Dais
5) Franky Antao
6) Arjun Velip
7) Purso Gaonkar
8) Arjun B. Velip
9) Tulshidas K. Velip
Your are hereby requested to remain present at Quepem Police Station on 6/10/08 at 10.00 hrs for investigation in cs. no. 89/07 v/s 143, 143, 341 r/w 144 IPC
Yours Faithfully
Sd/-
Police Inspector
Quepem Police Station
Another call letter too has been served, here is the copy of the same:
Quepem Police station
Date: 5/10/2008
To,
1) Vincent Dias
2) Vithoba Gaonkar
3) Rajanikant Velip
4 Jaisen Sequeira
5) Manuel Dias
6) Motes Antao
7) Telu Dias all r/o Collam-Sanguem
Your are hereby requested to remain present at Quepem Police Station on 6/10/08 at 15.45 hrs in connection with Quepem police station cs. no. 06/08 415,143, 147, 148, 341, 352, 447, 504, 506 (ii) r/w 149 I.P.C without fail.
Sd/-
Investigating officer
(K. R. Kothankar)
H. C. 1982
To protest against mining is criminal action, its time now that whole of Goa protests and all the People Goa becomes criminals to effectively deal with most brutal enemy of Goa - the mining industry. One and all must salute all those brave people of Colamb that are in the middle of glorious fight in defence of earth and its water.
Goa Police please stay away from the dictates of the mining industry including Fomentos and all its agents and employees, and owners and their prodigies, please support People in their valiant fight in defence of planet earth that Goa Police too share. In the meanwhile Goa Police has just created freedom fighters from the ordinary people from Colamb by sending Call letters. Thank you.
People of Colamb don't care for the police threats at the behest of mining industry. Today entire Goa is with you'll and all the mining affected people. Just few hours ago Ganv Ghar Rakhon Manch (GGRM) has demanded total close down of all the mines - legal as well as illegal - in Goa for causing Goa's ecocide.
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Listening????
Sebastian Rodrigues
Here is the copy of one call letter:
Quepem Police station
Date: 5/10/2008
To,
1) Rama Velip
2) Motes Antao
3) Rajanikant Velip
4) Telu Dais
5) Franky Antao
6) Arjun Velip
7) Purso Gaonkar
8) Arjun B. Velip
9) Tulshidas K. Velip
Your are hereby requested to remain present at Quepem Police Station on 6/10/08 at 10.00 hrs for investigation in cs. no. 89/07 v/s 143, 143, 341 r/w 144 IPC
Yours Faithfully
Sd/-
Police Inspector
Quepem Police Station
Another call letter too has been served, here is the copy of the same:
Quepem Police station
Date: 5/10/2008
To,
1) Vincent Dias
2) Vithoba Gaonkar
3) Rajanikant Velip
4 Jaisen Sequeira
5) Manuel Dias
6) Motes Antao
7) Telu Dias all r/o Collam-Sanguem
Your are hereby requested to remain present at Quepem Police Station on 6/10/08 at 15.45 hrs in connection with Quepem police station cs. no. 06/08 415,143, 147, 148, 341, 352, 447, 504, 506 (ii) r/w 149 I.P.C without fail.
Sd/-
Investigating officer
(K. R. Kothankar)
H. C. 1982
To protest against mining is criminal action, its time now that whole of Goa protests and all the People Goa becomes criminals to effectively deal with most brutal enemy of Goa - the mining industry. One and all must salute all those brave people of Colamb that are in the middle of glorious fight in defence of earth and its water.
Goa Police please stay away from the dictates of the mining industry including Fomentos and all its agents and employees, and owners and their prodigies, please support People in their valiant fight in defence of planet earth that Goa Police too share. In the meanwhile Goa Police has just created freedom fighters from the ordinary people from Colamb by sending Call letters. Thank you.
People of Colamb don't care for the police threats at the behest of mining industry. Today entire Goa is with you'll and all the mining affected people. Just few hours ago Ganv Ghar Rakhon Manch (GGRM) has demanded total close down of all the mines - legal as well as illegal - in Goa for causing Goa's ecocide.
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Listening????
Sebastian Rodrigues
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Mining trade is Goa's ecocide
Open cast Iron ore mining that we inherited as Portuguese Colonial Legacy has caused all round irreversible damage to Goa's People, our agriculture, our water sources - the springs and wells, our rivers, our mountains and even the air we breath. Water - the very essence of life on planet earth has been major casualties. Not only mining affected villages in Goa's hinterland has become water deficient due to digging of mines as deep as 40 meters below sea level thereby sucking our villages dry but also created water disaster for the entire coastal Goa as water reservoirs of our three dams - Assanora Water Works, Opa Water Works and Selaulim Water dam - are blessed with mining activities in their catchment areas.
Government of Goa instead of cracking down on these has allowed these companies to make this beautiful state of Goa water deficient as so many high powered water pumps are pumping water out from these pits 24 hours a day. Goa is headed for major disaster not only because we the People of Goa will have no water to drink but also tourism industry will collapse. As the water shortage will become acute, big 5 star hotels and industry will get priority of water supply over people. Our tap water very often carries water with reddish colour. Selaulim dam though located in Sanguem supplies 25% of its water to Salcete and 18% to Murmagao talukas. Same is the relationship of Opa Water Works and Assanora Water Works in relation to Bardez and Tiswadi Talukas.
Goa's draft Mineral Policy instead of curbing mining in Goa is seeking to promote the same in lot more aggressive manner by providing clearance to mining leases on cluster basis instead of planning to close down the mines that presently benefits only China. The overall mining activities is also disastrous as the leases cover 95 kms out of total 105 kms of Goa's stretch from North to South of Goa. We reject the draft Mineral policy totally and put in record that we do not need mining nor the mineral policy and we are burdened with passing on our beautiful Goa to our future generations. We can best do this without Open cast Iron Ore mining anywhere in Goa.
On priority basis all the mines - legal as well as illegal - needs to be closed down Goa's mining industry needs to send packing home as it is number one enemy of Goa's environment and its Public health causing innumerable diseases particularly related to lung infections. Immediate plan to reclamation of mining pits must be put in place.
Mining industry is source of terror on People's habitations in mining belt, Water security - streams, ponds, wells and dams, Food security - agriculture and horticulture, Our Forests, Our rivers, Our fish supply, Our irrigation systems, Our Democracy and Our health. No industry in Goa has terrorised people of Goa as much as mining industry has for over half a century.
Central government and its Ministry of Forest and Environment has opened shop for dishing our Environmental Clearances for every lease that has conducted Public Hearing over the past few years. The total 128 mining leases has been given Environmental clearances through 98 Environmental Clearances according to the latest information we received. Tiny State of Goa just cannot bear all this and Goa Government through its Chief Minister must publicly write to the Prime Minister of union of India to direct Union Ministry of Forest and Environment to withdraw all the Environmental Clearances and there by withdraw legal sanctity to ecocide of Goa.
Sebastian Rodrigues
Government of Goa instead of cracking down on these has allowed these companies to make this beautiful state of Goa water deficient as so many high powered water pumps are pumping water out from these pits 24 hours a day. Goa is headed for major disaster not only because we the People of Goa will have no water to drink but also tourism industry will collapse. As the water shortage will become acute, big 5 star hotels and industry will get priority of water supply over people. Our tap water very often carries water with reddish colour. Selaulim dam though located in Sanguem supplies 25% of its water to Salcete and 18% to Murmagao talukas. Same is the relationship of Opa Water Works and Assanora Water Works in relation to Bardez and Tiswadi Talukas.
Goa's draft Mineral Policy instead of curbing mining in Goa is seeking to promote the same in lot more aggressive manner by providing clearance to mining leases on cluster basis instead of planning to close down the mines that presently benefits only China. The overall mining activities is also disastrous as the leases cover 95 kms out of total 105 kms of Goa's stretch from North to South of Goa. We reject the draft Mineral policy totally and put in record that we do not need mining nor the mineral policy and we are burdened with passing on our beautiful Goa to our future generations. We can best do this without Open cast Iron Ore mining anywhere in Goa.
On priority basis all the mines - legal as well as illegal - needs to be closed down Goa's mining industry needs to send packing home as it is number one enemy of Goa's environment and its Public health causing innumerable diseases particularly related to lung infections. Immediate plan to reclamation of mining pits must be put in place.
Mining industry is source of terror on People's habitations in mining belt, Water security - streams, ponds, wells and dams, Food security - agriculture and horticulture, Our Forests, Our rivers, Our fish supply, Our irrigation systems, Our Democracy and Our health. No industry in Goa has terrorised people of Goa as much as mining industry has for over half a century.
Central government and its Ministry of Forest and Environment has opened shop for dishing our Environmental Clearances for every lease that has conducted Public Hearing over the past few years. The total 128 mining leases has been given Environmental clearances through 98 Environmental Clearances according to the latest information we received. Tiny State of Goa just cannot bear all this and Goa Government through its Chief Minister must publicly write to the Prime Minister of union of India to direct Union Ministry of Forest and Environment to withdraw all the Environmental Clearances and there by withdraw legal sanctity to ecocide of Goa.
Sebastian Rodrigues
Friday, October 3, 2008
List of Mining Disasters in Goa
Here is the list of mining disasters in Goa:
June 13, 1981 Bicholim disaster - Floods due to siltation of catchment areas of Bicholim river. Government report confirmed this. Part of the report published in a book tittled 'Fish curry and rice'. Bicholim has Dempo mines.
July 1991 Dempo mines collapsed in Bicholim killing 4 people, 6 injured. 144 families lost crop. Rs. 44,000 distributed as compensation for 'natural calamity' from Chief Minister's relief fund.
June 2000 Fomento mine collapsed in Pissurlem. One meter thick mining silt deposited in People's houses.
December 09, 2006 Tollem mine disaster. Timblos mine collapsed at Tolle in Sanguem taluka killing 6 workers.
August 14, 2008 Advalpal Fomento mine collapsed.
Mining is huge disaster in Goa that needs urgent attention. This industry must be dismantled at the earliest.
Sebastian Rodrigues with inputs from Ramesh Gauns in Bicholim, Shyamsunder Naik in Advalpal and Hanumant Porob in Pissurlem
June 13, 1981 Bicholim disaster - Floods due to siltation of catchment areas of Bicholim river. Government report confirmed this. Part of the report published in a book tittled 'Fish curry and rice'. Bicholim has Dempo mines.
July 1991 Dempo mines collapsed in Bicholim killing 4 people, 6 injured. 144 families lost crop. Rs. 44,000 distributed as compensation for 'natural calamity' from Chief Minister's relief fund.
June 2000 Fomento mine collapsed in Pissurlem. One meter thick mining silt deposited in People's houses.
December 09, 2006 Tollem mine disaster. Timblos mine collapsed at Tolle in Sanguem taluka killing 6 workers.
August 14, 2008 Advalpal Fomento mine collapsed.
Mining is huge disaster in Goa that needs urgent attention. This industry must be dismantled at the earliest.
Sebastian Rodrigues with inputs from Ramesh Gauns in Bicholim, Shyamsunder Naik in Advalpal and Hanumant Porob in Pissurlem
Video: Tollem Mine Tragedy (landslide) -Goa
Here is video called "Tollem Mine Tragedy (landslide) -Goa" by JoeUkGoa based on Tollem mines disaster. Click here to view the same.
Video: Seby ... on mining issues in Goa
Here is the video called "Seby ... on mining issues in Goa" by Frederick Noronha. Click here to view the same.
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