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Only mines, no heart
by Preetu Nair
(This article appeared first in GT Weekender, Panjim edition,
January 8, 2005)
Babuso arrived at Pandhari's house with Prasad babu, a
Gujarati mine owner with a plan and a certain dream. A dream
where mine pits make gold and certain money too. Unlike a
farmer's job, where after sowing the field for six months, a
farmer may not earn anything because of a bad crop. With the
promise of better money, Pandhari was lured away from his
traditional work to a new work. But little he realizes then
that he has lighted a lamp that is slowly going to burn his
village, his home and finally people.
These characters of Sahitya Akademi winner Pundalik Naik's
novel Acchev (The Upheaval) come alive in very many persons
that one meets at Sattari taluka in Northern district of Goa.
Just like Pandhari they were few years back lured away with
dreams of a better future and good life and development. But
little did the villagers realize that the decision that they
are taking in one moment of weakness would destroy their
future forever and bring in grief and utter devastation. And
yet they know that there is no respite now!
Mining activities in the area has destroyed their source of
water and majority of villagers are now depended on water
supplied by the water tankers of the mining units in the
area. Majority of fields in the area are destroyed and people
are forced to work in the mining units, often for a paltry
sum to ensure that they provide two time meal to their
family.
Every year, the mining industry excavates some 80 million
tonnes of iron and manganese ore with mud from the mountains
in Goa. This has turned the forested areas of Satteri into a
barren land and disrupted ground water table, destroyed the
fields and degraded the habitat of ordinary men and women.
The problem is immense but no government in Goa or any
political party has ever indicated either interest or
commitment to deal with the problems created by the mining
industry. No doubt the mining units have created a fair
amount of employment and helped Goan economy but the price
these villagers in the mining area are paying is too huge.
We have lost everything. Our fields are completely
destroyed. Our wells are dry. We made several complaints to
the mining companies and even government, but to no avail.
Now if mining activity is stopped then people in the village
will die of hunger and thirst (water is provided by the
mining area). However, it would have been a different story
if mining activity had stopped 15 years back, but then people
never knew the ill-effects of mining, said Balchandra Gawde
of a mining affected village of Pissurlem.
Balchandra is full of stories of how, the mining activity in
the area has slowly but steadily destroyed the economy of the
place and destroyed their peace and health. People fall sick
in the area at the drop of a hat. The main reason for this is
air and water pollution. The tankers which provide water is
hardly cleaned (once a year). This is the water we use for
drinking, cooking etc. as a result; stomach ailments are
quite common in the area. Tuberculosis and lung ailments are
also very common. My aged mother often falls sick because of
the dust pollution.
He recollects that 12 year back he led a comfortable and calm
life with his family and worked in the 2000 sq mt field that
he tilled. At that time what he cultivated, the family ate.
I didn't have to worry about rice or vegetables as
everything was grown by us. But the during one monsoon, as
the ore rejects descended with the rains into the fields with
the rain water entered the fields and destroyed the land and
the crops. Now we have to purchase everything from the market
and it is very expensive, he said.
Balchandra admits that every year the mining companies pay
them money for the loss to agriculture but this money is
quite less. We have complained to the mamlatdar (village
officer) but it has not helped. There are around 150 mundkars
(tenants) in our village, but it is only the influential ones
who get a decent sum while the rest get a paltry sum, he
added. Damage to agriculture is irreversible.
Ironically, severely hit by mining activity Balchandra is now
compelled to work in a mining company for Rs 7000 per month.
I have no other option. With my fields completely destroyed,
I am forced to work in the mining unit or leave my home and
migrate to another place in search of better opportunities. I
choose the former. Village wells
