[Goanet-News] In the news: mining, the environment, Manohar Parrikar, and Naxalism charges

[Goanet News]

Goanetters would have, by now, picked up news about some of the
controversy emerging from back in Goa involving mining, the campaigns
against it, Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar and his allegations
that made it to the news here. See some comments on the subject that
came up via Goanet here [1] and here [2] and also here [3].

Back in Goa, Friday's newspapers highlighted the story. The
mining-linked Dempo-owned The Navhind Times [4] said "Police alert:
Rising concern over Naxal activities in mining areas". Herald [5],
from the Fernandes group, quoted the Opposition leader's version in
its report, "Naxal gaining ground in mining belt: Parrikar".

The Gomantak Times, earlier owned by the mining home of the Chowgules
but now linked to the Pawar family, gave other insights. It's
top-of-Page1 story is titled,  "[Opposition leader] Parrikar targets
anti-mining activist ... Sebestian (sic) Rodrigues denies charges,
police say they are watching. Leading greens back Seby."

The unsigned blog, Penpricks, has its take on the media involvement in
this issue, allegedly in other ways [6].

As Goanet readers would know, the issue of mining in Goa has raised a
number of concerns here of late. There are reasons for this: mining
activity has picked up speedily, mainly due to the Chinese stepping up
buying activity significantly to fuel their export-boom and being
ready to buy even low-grade ore. Studies, as this one by journalist
Raju Nayak [7], have looked at the impact of mining on Goa, while
prominent institutions like the Anil Agarwal-founded Centre for
Science and Environment (CSE-New Delhi) have highlighted the impact of
mining on Goa in their latest report on the State of the Indian
Environment [8]

Goanetter Sebastian Rodrigues [9],  singled out to face the Opposition
leader's allegations, has been actively campaigning on this issue --
along with many others, including affected villagers and other
campaigners -- for some time now. Check out links to some of his
posts, available via a Google search, here [10].

Gomantak Times reported:

[Manohar] Parrikar said though the villagers had every right to
agitate against the ongoing indiscrimiinate mining, for causing
pollution, etc, a group of seven to eight people who were active in
the Naxalite belts had infiltrated into Goa and were now formenting
trouble in the mining areas.

He demanded that the police should investigate Sebastian's activities,
who, he said, was going on the internet, blogging about his
activities. He alleged that Rodrigues even showed a video footage to
the Colomb villagers, about how Naxalites lynched a police officer.

Later, the Leader of the Opposition displayed copies of the photos and
other material published by the groups and even addressing meetings in
the mining belt. This could have the potential of becoming a serious
law and order problem in the state, he feared.

Parrikar also said that activists of (the) banned Students Islamic
Movement of India (SIMI) were now shifting its operations into Goa to
forment trouble, as they did in other states including neighbouring
Karnataka.

End of quote.

Share your views on mining in Goa via goanet at goanet.org and also join
in the debate on this issue.

[1] http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-June/076061.html
[2] http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-June/076038.html
[3] http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-June/076044.html
[4] http://www.navhindtimes.com
[5] http://www.oheraldo.in
[6] http://penpricks.blogspot.com/2008/06/rajan-narayan-is-dead-long-live-sujoy.html
[7] http://www.cseindia.org/programme/media/candidates.htm
[8] http://www.cseindia.org/Aboutus/press_releases/press_20080128.htm
[9] sebydesiolim at hotmail.com or sebydesiolim at gmail.com
[10] http://sebyonmining.notlong.com