Goa Against Mining

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Mining belt in Goa

Shirgao mining	name Shirgao Mining description Sirgao village has three mining companies in operation - Dempos sold out in June 2009 to Sesa Goa (British corporate Vedanta), Chowgules, and Rajaram Bandekar. Shirgao Village is suffering from acute ground water depletion and ruining of agriculture because of mining of these three companies as confirmed NEERI report submitted to Goa Bench of Bombay High Court in connection with PIL filed by the Shirgao villagers. 73 village wells has gone dry because of mining. Villagers are demanding that these three mines be closed down forever. NEERI has submitted the estimated cost of Rs.660.25 lakhs to be paid by all the three mining companies operating in the village. For mining related discussion on Shirgao village visit http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/search/label/Sirgao.
Mayem lake	name Mayem lake description The famous Mayem (http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/search/label/Mayem) lake in Bicholim is threatened by mining activity close by.
Advalpal mining	name Advalpal mining description Advalpal (http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/search/label/Advalpal)village in Bicholim bordering Bardez has three mining leases operated by Fomentos, Salgaonkars and Sesa Goa owned by British corporate Vedanta. People in the village has revolted and number of people were arrested by State police (http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/search/label/police)on numerous occasions. Number of villagers are criminally charged and tried in various courts of law in Bicholim. Online reporting of this village struggle was enough cause for Fomento mining company to file defamation suit (http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/search/label/CalcuttaHCCase) of Rs.500 crore at far away place in Calcutta High Court against Sebastian Rodrigues. Goa Bench of Bombay High Court has stayed mining operations of Vedanta's Sesa Goa mining company operating in Advalpal over a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by 9 year old boy Akash Naik and Goa Foundation. Sesa Goa are asked to remove the illegal dumps in the village from their mining pit. The company has not this so far.
Dempo mine in Mayem	name Dempo mine in Mayem description This is a Dempo mine sold to Vedanta posing grave danger to water bodies and forest in the area. Dempos has got nearly 1,750 crore from sale of it mining interests in Goa. Neither Dempos nor Vedanta has created this Water and Forest to be sold. Or have they? Currently water is being pumped from mining pit and ore exploration has began recently. This mining pit is located at the distance of 150 meters from Mayem lake. Pit is like perrenial water body. Even in the month of May this pit is full of water - more than the water in the Mayem lake.
Vichundrem mining	name Vichundrem mining description This is another example of brazen mining activity inside the Selaulim Dam reservoir. This mining activity takes place at Vichundem, Sanguem.
Assanora River	name Assanora River description Assanora River (http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/search/label/Assanora) in Bicholim Taluka is used for irrigation purpose to supply water to Bardez taluka is threatened by open cast iron ore industry carrying on its activities in neighboring villages of Sirgao and Advalpal. Corporates are engaged in great mining plunder of Goa and all of them are responsible for the irresponsible damage to Goa's eco-system and creation of water and food insecurity. State in Goa and India needs to distance itself from the plunderers and crack down on miners.
Mining in Selaulim Dam	name Mining in Selaulim Dam description This mine is dug right inside the Selaulim Dam reservoir. There are several mining leases within Selaulim dam reservoir that is threatening the Selaulim water dam. Selaulim Water dam is a major water supply source for the large part of South Goa including cities of Margao and Vasco-da-Gama. Miners in Goa yield tremendous political power. Few are even elected in the State legislative assembly. While lots of MLAs has entered into mining business particularly after the "China boom" for last half decade. Miners think they are law unto themselves as they resort to up teem violations of law. This is one example to that effect. After this got reported on the blog www.mandgoa.blogspot.com there was discussion in the State Assembly and the mining activities inside the Selaulim dam jurisdictions was ordered stopped. There are however no effective mechanisms to check if this has been adhered to or not. Vigilant public remains Goa's chief defense.
Spring leading into Mayem lake	name Spring leading into Mayem lake description Paddy was cultivated on either side of this spring from March to May every year during post monsoon period. This cultivation is given up for two reasons (1) Accumulation of silt in spring. (2) Drying up of this spring from March onwards. The cultivation is stopped for last 20 years. There is pending case since 1997on this issue at the Goa Bench of Bench of Bombay High Court. Petitioners of case are Goa Foundation and Ramesh Gauns.
Dempos mine in Sirgao	name Dempos mine in Sirgao description Right on the banks of River Assanora which under the tidal influence - low tide and hide level of the tidal water is more than one meter. There is mining pit exists within 50 meters from River banks. Mining road is also constructed within a distance of less than 10 meters. Compound wall is also at a distance of less than 10 meter of the river banks. These facts are concealed in EIA report submitted to get Environment Clearance (EC) from Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF). EC is granted to this mine. The consent was given Goa Pollution Control Board to establish the said mine under Water (control and prevention of pollution) Act 1974 even without knowledge of survey numbers related to the said TC/ML (Title of concession / Mining Lease) 11/41. Consent was given is 2004 and renewed in 2006.
Mulgao Lake	name Mulgao Lake description This is within the mining lease of Dempos (Vedanta/Sesa Goa) which is totally silted and company has deployed security personnel to prevent public from photographing the lake. There all together three lakes in the vicinity (http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/2009/01/threatened-mulgao-lakes.html) that are facing danger from Dempo mine sold to Vedanta.
Colomba mining	name Colomba mining description This village of Colomba (http://maps.google.co.in/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=110567999679666203830.00047df770931ddc0ac13&ll=15.149308,74.135208&spn=0.01017,0.01929&t=h&z=16) in Rivona panchayat jurisdiction in Sanguem taluka has total land of 1929 hactres. 23 mining leases in the village cover 1510 hectares of land. Already four mining leases are in operation causing damage to agriculture and water sources of the villagers. Gawda, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED), an organization of tribal people of Goa is involved in the struggle of the people. Fomento mining company has filed defamation suit of Rs.500 crore at Calcutta High Court against Sebastian Rodrigues for reporting the struggle of the villagers in this village and another one in north Goa - Advalpal online at www.mandgoa.blogspot.com(http://www.mandgoa.blogspot.com). Mining companies has filed large number of police cases against people protesting against the mining industry. Several cases have been transformed into legal court cases. This village is in the Western Ghats that is largely threatened due to mining industry. Water sources are becoming major casualties of mining activities. GAKUVED documented 130 perennial water bodies in this village in a survey carried out in May 2008. Dried water sources would mean certain desertification of the State of Goa. Mining plunder must stop to pass on Goa for future generations.
Margao town depends on water from mining belt	name Margao town depends on water from mining belt description Margao is know as commercial capital of Goa due its business importance. This is located at 49 feet above sea level. This town has witnessed rapid urbanization. This town is disgustingly insensitive to its water bodies as number of water bodies in Margao has been destroyed for the sake of real estate. As a result of this the town is entirely dependent upon water sourced from Selaulim water dam in Sanguem. This water supply is threatened due to aggression by mining companies who ware determined to make buck at the current sky rocketing demand for ore from China. Margao town is also the place where nearly 155 mining leases are owned by its residents. Mining leases are mostly centered around hinterland Goa. Margao town's garbage disposal system at Sonsodo has been currently (January 2010) taken over by Fomento mining company. The company has entered into agreements with the State agencies like Margao Municipality for this purpose. The political intention for this action is to win some good will to mining company after its reputation has been badly damaged due to its destructive and repressive mining policies.
Azad Maidan Goa Liberation Day protest fast	name Azad Maidan Goa Liberation Day protest fast description Azad Maidan Panjim witnessed one day protest fast (http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/2009/12/picture-of-people-on-fast-to-condemn.html) on Goa Liberation Day December 19, 2009 by Goa Federation of Mines Affected People. The banner of the day read "Stop Colonial Mining Plunder of Goa (http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/2009/12/fast-to-condenm-colonial-mining-plunder.html)".Panjim city also gets its share of water supply from the mining beltthrough Public Works Department water supply via taps. Goa is headedtowards massive water scarcity. The protest was meant to highlight colonial nature of mining industry in Goa.
Mapusa city depends on water from mining belt in Assanora	name Mapusa city depends on water from mining belt in Assanora description Mapusa city in North Goa is dependent upon water from Assanora Water Works. This is threatened by rampant mining activities in Advalpal. Authorities pay no attention to serious water threat to Goa. It is very urgent that mining in Goa must stop to pass on this beautiful State for the future generations.
Vasco city depends on water from Selaulim Dam	name Vasco city depends on water from Selaulim Dam description Vasco-da-Gama city in South Goa dependend upon the water from Selaulim dam. This town is highly industrialized with Marmagao Port Trust, Indian oil terminals, Zuari agro chemicals, and airport being located here. It is reported that Goa government has taken secure loan of over 1,600 crores from JAICA, Japan to get secure supply of water from the Selaulim water dam. Currently water is from the dam is treated by Water Resource department and then sold to Public Works Department who is responsible for water distribution. JAICA funding is for separate pipeline to serve the interests that are unknown so far till today 30 January 2010. But is clear that JAICA funding in water is creating something spectacular to escalate water wars in Goa by building exclusive and dedicated water pipelines.
Panchwadi struggle against mining roads	name Panchwadi struggle against mining roads description People of Panchwadi in Ponda taluka are up in arms over the attempts to build mining bypass roads through their village. You may know more here. (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?t=h&ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=110567999679666203830.000480916f4b62dbfae9a&ll=15.288501,74.103639&spn=0.020326,0.038581&z=15)
Curtorim Tollem	name Curtorim Tollem

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