[Goanet-News] Goanet Reader: Goa, one of India's leading producers of ore... and pollution

[Goanet Reader]

GOA: ONE OF INDIA'S LEADING PRODUCERS OF ORE... AND POLLUTION

Some shocking
realities about
Goa's mining
scenario from
the Centre for
Science and
Environment's
2008 report on
the Indian
environment.
The footnotes
and boxes are
available in the
printed version
of the report,
available from
CSE-Delhi and
other booksellers.

Goa is India's smallest state -- spread over 3,70,200 ha --
it accounts for just 0.11 per cent of India's geographical
area. 1

It is, however, one of India's leading producers of iron and
manganese: four per cent of India's iron ore reserves and
eight per cent of its manganese ore reserves are in Goa (see
Table 1: Goa's mineral wealth).2 In 2004-05, more than 15 per
cent of the iron ore produced in the country came from Goa.3

The state has about eight per cent of its total area under
mining, the highest in the country (see Map on page 142:
Minerals and forests).4 Some 400 mining leases have been
granted in Goa till 2002-03, covering approximately 30,325 ha
-- this works out to almost five per cent of the total area
leased out for mining major minerals in the country.5 Of
these, 222 mining leases have been granted for extracting
iron ore: this accounts for 56 per cent of the total area
under mining (see Graph 1: Area under mine leases).6

The number of leases and the total area covered under them
have remained almost constant over the years -- in 1995-96,
the area under mining leases was 30,802, while in 2002-03, it
was 30,325 (see Graph 2: Mining leases over the years).

          But the area under mining in Goa is all set to zoom
          in coming years. As per government records sought
          under the Right To Information Act, there are as
          many as 825 mining lease applications, covering an
          area of 67,822 ha, under various stages of
          processing. If these leases are granted, which most
          probably they will be, more than one-fourth of
          Goa's land area will come under mining -- a recipe
          for ecological disaster.

Iron ore is Goa's most significant mineral -- accounting for
more than 98 per cent of the total mineral production in the
state in terms of value (see Table 2: Mineral production).7
Most of the iron ore produced in Goa is exported and mining
for export has a huge impact on the state's economy and
ecology (see Box: Exporting ore, importing disaster).

Goa is a major producer of metallic minerals: the state
accounts for 10 per cent of the total value of metallic
minerals extracted in the country.8 At just 0.01 per cent,
the state's share in the country's total non-metallic mineral
value is negligible.9

The value of mineral production in Goa, which has
continuously increased since 2000-01 (see Graph 3: Mineral
value trends in Goa), stood at Rs 829 crore in 2004-05; iron
ore accounted for 99 per cent of this value.10 The value of
minor minerals produced in 2004-05 was estimated at Rs 55
crore.11 The state contributed one per cent of the value of
minerals produced in the country.12

          But the mineral royalty received by the state
          government was a pittance -- Rs 15 crore, Rs 18
          crore and a little more than Rs 17 crore
          respectively in 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05.13
          Revenues from mining account for a minuscule
          portion of the state's total revenues -- between
          0.8-1 per cent.14 While private miners are making
          windfall profits, the government and the people of
          the state are seeing none of it.

The mining industry in Goa employs about 11,000 persons
directly, and about 10,000 persons indirectly, during the
mining season from October to May.15 The major mining and
mineral-based companies operating in Goa are Sesa Goa,
Chowgules, Dempo and Salgaocar, which together extract about
67 per cent of Goa's total iron ore, and account for 68 per
cent of Goa's ore exports.16

The key iron ore deposits are located in Bicholim, Sanguem
and Satari taluks, while manganese deposits are confined to
the southern and south-eastern parts of Sanguem. Around 1,282
ha of forest land has been diverted for mining activities,
which is about four per cent of the total area under mining
in the state.17

There is reason to believe that the figures of forest land
diverted for mining are much higher. For one, large areas of
forests in the state are not classified in government
records. These are private forests or community lands, and so
forest clearance is not necessary here. Mining done on such
forest land is unlikely to be documented.

          Illegal encroachment is rampant. Even the state
          government admits it -- according to the Economic
          Survey 2005-06, an area of 2,66,000 sq m of
          government land has been identified as being
          'illegally encroached' by mining companies.
          Whatever the figures are, there is no doubt that
          mining has completely devastated Goa's pristine
          forests. According to a report by the New
          Delhi-based The Energy and Resources Institute, at
          least 18 per cent of Goa's forests have been lost
          to mining.

HIT: WATER, FORESTS AND WILDLIFE

The history of mining in Goa is intrinsically linked with its
colonial past. When the Second World War ravaged Japan,
leaving its economy in shambles, the country needed iron and
steel to rebuild itself. Goa, with its huge reserves, was
well suited to meet this demand.

Portugal realised that this market was a potential gold mine,
and decided to tap it. Portugal also realised that it needed
to involve some local Goans and people from other Portugese
colonies in its plans; like all colonisers, it hoped that
these agents would support its regime in order to protect
their own economic interests. In fact, Chowgule and Dempo,
who have huge stakes in Goa's mining industry today, were
migrants who worked for the erstwhile Portugese dynasty.

Following this strategy, Portugal awarded mining leases in
perpetuity to some Goans -- mainly small businesspeople.

Ever since, large-scale mining of iron ore and its subsequent
hugely profitable export has been an integral part of Goa's
economy -- leaving an indelible impact on Goan society and
environment. It is also a colonial legacy that mining in Goa
is still largely in private hands, even after the liberation
of Goa and its integration into India.....

In 1986, the concessions were abolished and converted into
leases, which were deemed granted. However, many mines are
currently operating without lease deeds being signed, which
means the government has no control over the mine owners.

Unrestrained iron ore mining has devastated the lifeline of
Goan society -- its farmlands, forests, rivers, air and
groundwater -- and Goa's people are feeling the pinch (see
Box: Mines that undermine farming). Most mines in Goa work
below the groundwater level.

          About 10 tonne of water has to be pumped out for
          every tonne of ore mined. This leads to depletion
          of groundwater in the surrounding areas.18 Surface
          water from the rivers also seeps and flows into the
          mining pits, leading to drying of the rivers
          downstream.

The once blue waters of Goa's rivers are often bloody red,
sometimes resembling choked drains. Take the case of primary
water sources like the Kushawati, Kalay, Uguem, Khandepar,
Advoi, Bicholim Zuari, and Mandovi rivers. The Selaulim
reservoir (Goa's biggest water supply project) too has not
been spared.

On one hand, the Curpem and Vichundrem streams deposit mining
silt into the reservoir, and on the other, the Tudov,
Netrulim and Salaulim rivers which originate in the Netrulim
Wildlife Sanctuary, carry run-off from the mines and
haphazardly dump the rejects into the reservoir. Mine run-off
from Salginin flows into the Kali river, that joins the sea
at Karwar. The renowned Mayem lake has also met the same fate.

Goa reels under severe water crisis even when it receives
record amounts of rain. In 2005, according to the state
government, a deluge of 130 inches washed hundreds of tonnes
of silt from mining sites into local water bodies.19
Officials said the holding capacity of these water bodies was
considerably reduced following the unprecedented silting.

          According to Brother Philip Neri de Souza, who is
          attached to the Don Bosco farm at Sulcorna in
          Quepem taluka, mining wastes are being discharged
          right into the Selaulim reservoir. The silt from
          the mines is now weakening the structure of the
          Selaulim dam itself.

A news report published in 2001 in a local daily Gomantak
says, "A government official said that the life span of a
project of such dimensions should be at least 100 years, but
siltation caused by mining in the upper reaches of the
catchment area could drastically reduce its longevity. Though
the Irrigation Act prevents mining and quarrying activities
in the catchment area, the subject comes under the Central
Act, and there is a good deal of confusion."

According to environmentalist Claude Alvares, Goa's mine
owners flout even the most basic environment protection norms
like constructing bunds to prevent inflow of mining wastes
into water bodies.

"The state government's Mines Department which oversees the
functioning of mines has just two engineers, one of whom is
bogged down with court matters," Alvares said.20 While
Selaulim and Bicholim are choked with silt, the Zuari and
Mandovi are threatened by arsenic. They are the major rivers
in Goa, flowing over an area of 2,50,000 ha through the
state's mining belts.21

A large part of Goa's iron ore, manganese and ferromanganese
ores comes from mines located in the basins and watersheds of
these two rivers. In fact, 90 per cent of Goa's iron and
ferromanganese ores are transported through them to the
Marmugao harbour.22

MANDOVI, ZUARI

The Mandovi carries discharges from a catchment area of
1,15,000 ha, while the river basin has an area of around
38,000 ha.23 The river carries drainage from 43,500 ha of
forest land.24

There are 27 large mines that generate 1,500-6,000 tonne of
rejects per day per mine, a substantial portion of which
ultimately ends up in the river.25 The Zuari carries
discharges from a catchment area of 55,000 ha.26

Ten large mines are located in this basin, generating
1,000-4,000 tonne of rejects per day per mine.27 These mines
are equally generous in offloading their wastes into the
passive Zuari.

A study was conducted to assess the presence and quantity of
arsenic in the rivers due to the mining activities in their
basins. Six samples were collected from both the estuaries to
assess the arsenic content. The iron ore of Mandovi-Zuari
catchment area has approximately 50 microgram per gram
(μg/g) of arsenic, and the study found that partial
dissolution of the mining rejects could enrich the dissolved
arsenic in estuaries.28

During the pre- and post-monsoon seasons, both estuaries had
same arsenate levels (0.11-0.24 microgram per litre, or
μg/l).29 The arsenate level was low at marine and freshwater
ends, while it was at its maximum in the mid-estuarine
region.

During monsoons, arsenate levels showed a four-fold increase
(0.3-0.78 μg/l) with higher concentrations in the surface
layer compared to the bottom layer.30 Arsenate was at its
peak during the period of maximum precipitation and river
discharge, a tell tale sign of mining waste laden with
arsenic getting into the rivers. The high levels of arsenate
also indicate the possibility of some arsenic associated with
iron (as FeAsS) leaching into the rivers and of dissolution
of river-borne sediments. Manganese oxides significantly
enhance arsenite oxidation and may be behind the high
arsenate at the marine end.

Among the other rivers in Goa, the Kushawati faces siltation
and pollution from iron and manganese fines. The river is the
major source of agricultural and drinking water supply for
people living in the villages of Rivona, Sulcorna, Pirla,
Kevona, Colomba, Chandor, Zambaulim, Paroda and Quepem. Over
the last few years, large-scale extraction of minerals in
this manganese- rich belt has resulted in contamination of
the river from run-offs during monsoons and washing of
manganese ore along its banks. Wastes from the mining pits,
which flow into the Kushawati, cause siltation of the river
and also affect its flow.

Many of its tributaries have already dried up due to the
mining activities. The Kushawati Bachao Andolan (KBA), which
has been campaigning against the pollution of the river,
believes that if the situation is not controlled, the
region's paddy, coconut, sugarcane and aeracanut plantations
will be affected severely. The situation in most of Goa,
thus, is serious, particularly for villagers from areas near
mining centres: they have already begun selling off their
properties.

Most of the residents of Pisurlem village in Bicholim taluka
which is surrounded by mines, have left after mining wastes
destroyed all the 80 wells in the village. Residents of
Bicholim say they had begun to order water tankers even
before the rains ended, as the groundwater has already been
ruined by the mines. The poorer farmers lost their crops due
to water stress caused by the mines that have been operating
on the periphery of the village.

TAKING ISSUES HEAD ON

Some farmers decided to take matter into their own hands.
Villagers of Surla in Bicholim filed a writ petition against
the mining companies in the Bombay High Court's Panjim bench
in 2004 because of the heavy losses incurred due to silting
of their fields from adjoining mining units since 1993.31

A committee was set up in April 2005 to evaluate the extent
of losses (in terms of fertility and water-retaining
facility) and the cost of removal of silt. The committee
reported that mines were operational on the north, east and
south sides of the village all along the hills. It found that
approximately 1,090 ha of land (124 ha under paddy, 603 ha
under garden crops and 363 ha under dry crops) was affected
due to silting.

Several farmers had incurred total loss of their kharif as
well as rabi crops, while yields of cashew crop had fallen by
50 per cent. The committee suggested that the farmers be paid
compensation for the loss of yield.

Recently, the court, giving its ruling in the case, said that
the mining companies should pay Rs 3.6 crore (Rs 36 million)
by August 30, 2007 to compensate for the losses incurred by
the farmers from 1993 till 2006. The compensation amount is
to be disbursed to 761 aggrieved farmers whose fields had
been destroyed.

Mining companies such as Salgaocar Mining Industries,
Chowgule & Co Pvt Ltd, Salgaokar & Brothers Pvt Ltd, and V S
Dempo & Co Pvt Ltd have been asked to pay Rs 8.5 lakh each,
while Timblo Pvt Ltd and D B Bandodkar & Co Pvt Ltd are to
pay Rs 3.6 lakh each. Payment of the compensation, however,
discharges these companies from the responsibility of
desilting the fields.

The court has appointed the deputy collector of Bicholim as
court commissioner for disbursing the collected amount and
has made provisions that farmers not listed among the
beneficiaries can still approach the zonal agriculture
officer with an application for raising a claim. The judges
also directed the companies to undertake adequate protective
measures such as providing catchment drains, protective walls
and check dams for arresting silt and begin plantations on
the waste dumps.

They indicated that the compliance of these protective
measures would be monitored by the chief engineer (water
resources), and the case would be again reviewed after a year
to decide if further compensation is required.

          Mining is hammering away at Goa's other resources
          too: in the North Goa forest division, immediately
          adjacent to or often inside the Bhagwan Mahaveer
          wildlife sanctuary, several mining leases encroach
          on the sanctuary or impact on its borders.

As Goa's highly influential mining lobby pushes to increase
production of minerals, the state's forests and wildlife
sanctuaries have suffered. According to a study done by
Pune-based NGO Kalpavriksha (Hoghe et al, 2002), the Bhagwan
Mahaveer wildlife sanctuary and Molem national park cover a
total area of 240 sq km of moist deciduous, semi-evergreen
and evergreen forests. The area boasts of a rich diversity of
fauna, including the tiger. Occasionally, even black leopards
are sighted. Parts of this area were denotified way back in
1985. Other protected areas affected by mining include the
Bondla, Neturlim, Mollem and Cotigao wildlife sanctuaries --
the state government has plans to denotify large areas in
these.

Apart from actual mining on forest land or protected land,
transportation and storage of minerals have endangered these
fragile areas. Take, for instance, the Mollem national park.

Though it was declared a protected area in 1967, its western
and southern boundaries are dotted with mines. The
Bellary-Hospet-Mormagoa rail line passes through the Bhagwan
Mahaveer wildlife sanctuary.

Some iron ore is also being unloaded at Sanvordem, Kalay and
Collem. Collem was a sanctuary until it was denotified in
1985. At Kalay, unloading and transportation of iron ore
takes place within the sanctuary. Rather than protecting the
forests and their wildlife, the government, pushed by the
mining lobby, is all set to intensify its spree of
denotification of protected areas.

NO MINE MANAGEMENT

Given the nature of mineral resources in Goa, vast quantities
of overburden and waste material is generated while mining.
Deep quarries are formed which can be filled up by the
overburden. However, most mines, helped by poor regulations,
just don't bother.

Reclamation has found very few takers in Goa. For Goa's mine
owners, mines are important only as long as something can be
exploited from them -- afterwards, they are just pits.
Literally.

About 14 mines have been abandoned without restoring the
area. Some mines have been abandoned because erstwhile
mineral concessions have not been renewed. In all, about 140
mines with broken area of 1,500 ha have been left as pits for
water storage.32

In Goa, the reclaimed area is just 9.5 per cent of the total
broken area, and land used for waste disposal is about 11 per
cent -- indicating that reclamation is lagging way behind
instead of happening simultaneously.33 Back-filling has
started in only 10 working mechanised mines, out of a total
of 42.34 Of the total area of about 940 ha of these mines,
just 12 ha is under reclamation, in which about 55 MT of
overburden and wastes have been back-filled.35 There are rare
good examples, though. Sesa Goa's Sanquelim mines has
established a football ground on reclaimed overburden dumps.
It cost the company a capital investment of Rs 80 lakh and
has an annual budget of Rs 30 lakh (see Box: One good
show).36

In 1977, Konkani writer Pundalik Naik wrote Acchev -- the
'Upheaval'. It was a vivid and brutal portrayal of the impact
of rampant iron ore mining on Goa's self-sufficient agrarian
communities. Though it was written years back, echoes of
Acchev can still be heard all over Goa. In fact, as the
mining juggernaut gains speed, the upheaval is most certainly
going to be even more devastating.

ENDS

Reproduced with permission from the Centre for Science and
Environment (CSE), 41 Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New
Delhi 110062 Tel: +91-11-29955124/5125/6394/6399/6401 or 26059810
and fax 91-11-2995 5879. http://www.cseindia.org The chapter on
Goa can also be downloaded from
http://www.divshare.com/download/4795727-57f  Thanks to CSE for
their permission to reproduce the text.

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