Hi Samir, Perhaps it was the dust, which for lack of a better word--felled you. We are talking here of as you saw open cast mining. BTW, that's one reason that cruise ships do not show up.
I feel one would need qualitative data too. Although I believe that the issue is beyond moot, I hear what you are asking for. At the end of the day, even if one wants to do something, the other side asks for data—which is probably what you are running into. One would think that the govt agencies would have this OR is it just like all the dams, etc., that have been built but practically no data maintained. Other significant and dare I say ONLY indicators to look at would be to look at the fields, health of the children, health of the population, emotional well being (can be measured), silicosis, etc. If the people are being affected then one has to move differently, meaning mine differently. There are profits and there are profits. Alter profit margins. Or we are being Malthusian to say the very very least. Of course any system should look at everything, but if in the end one must put a premium on people. Order the book from the Other India Bookstore. Perhaps others carry it too. Believe its called Sweet Land of Mine. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/Apr272008/editpage2008042664870.asp Talk to Hartman de Souza too. I am sure you will get answers from Mand and other people on the ground too. All the best. venantius From: Samir Kelekar <[email protected]> > Subject: [Goanet] Just back from Goa after visiting Colamb, the mining > village > > I am just back from Goa to bangalore. During my trip to Goa, I visited > the mining village of Colamb and had an opportunity to see the mining > devastation. It was probably the heat of the place (Goa is very very hot > these days) which made me fall sick, > and I had to come back to Bangalore without attending the anti-ordinance > meeting which otherwise I would have liked to attend. I am grateful to Rama > Velip and others who showed us around. Thanks to Seby for the contacts. > > Here are my brief observations: > > 1) Stopping mining is obviously going to be a long term struggle. We saw > hundreds of trucks filled with Goan earth going by during our brief visit. > > 2) Is some data available on specifically the effects of mining on water > table, increase in earth's temperature, contribution to global warming etc > ? I am told Sanguem and Quepem provide more than 50% of water to Goa. > How is mining effecting it ? Is there any quantitative data on it ? > > 3) I am told that there is something called legal mining. I can't imagine > that cutting off the mountains and selling them off can be legal in this > age and time. What are the enviromental laws that deal with this, and > I am wondering how legal mining passes the environmental tests. > > I am told Claude has written a book on Goa's mining; if someone can > send me the book, or pass me pointers, that will help. > > I will write more as time passes. > > regards, > Samir > >
