M.L. No. 3/FeMn/79 is a mining lease in survey no. 19 of Goa's Cavrem village consisting of 70.20 hectares of land endowed with iron ore and Manganese underneath.
The lease was granted on December 12, 1979 by Goa Government as Union Territory of India. Portuguese government had no role in granting of this mining lease even though it had granted 791 mining leases elsewhere in Goa. This situation is creation of Indian administration in Goa as Union Territory after Goa was "annexed through conquest" as stated in Shantilal Gosalia case.
It is huge mountaneuos terrain classified as Forest land. Cavrem village is inhabitants by Tribal people and have staked community Forest Rights claims for the management of Forest Bio-diversity. There are serious attempts by Goa Government administration to sabotage Cavrem peoples Community Forest Rights claims over Forest Rights as revealed from response to Legislative Assembly Question (LAQ). This indicates that administration in Goa has turned bramanical and working actively to suppress Tribal people and their aspirations. This is dangerous trend and could lead to unpredictable consequences.
Validity of this mining leases has undergone few turns and twists. Lease period originally was for twenty years. Then it was renewed for another twenty years. After the lapse of 40 years no renewal was carried on.
Possibly after Fomentos got its eyes on this mining lease claims were mounted to harvest advantage of the amendment in law that gave new life to the expired lease with 50 years period from the commencement of the lease. The lease commenced on December 12, 1979 and will expire again on December 12, 2029.
This fresh mining aggression on Goa is launched by Fomentos using Kirtane and Pradnya Kane as fronts. Fomentos as avoided it self from being easily detected on the radar. There is in-built anti-nature bias in this entire enterprise in addition to anti-tribal bias. In fact Wency Mendes in one of his latest research papers has described character of mining in Goa as bramanical.
Proposal of Rainbow Warriors to freeze mining in Goa for next two decades is more practical step that will help to heal shattered ecology of Goa and avoid further perpetuation of ecocide and ethnic violence in Goa. This is in support interest of current as well as future generations of Goa. Time from mining shut down in Goa from 2012 is the best time for regeneration of Goa's ecology even though it is nightmare for economists that count profit and distribution of profit under various tags and don't admire such shut downs.
Cavrem mining proposal is detrimental to nature and people and must be opposed tooth and nail. Fresh air, fresh water, secure Forest, secure horticulture, secure agriculture and healthy living is at huge risk from mining. 764 page EIA report of Cavrem mining cannot be allowed to blind people from this well known lessons from Goa mining industry. It's entire history had been perilous, deplorable and disgusting to the core.
One only has to visit Cavrem to witness what the planet stands to loose if we remain on sidelines. We at Bharat Mukti Morcha chose to stand in defence of Cavrem people and in opposition to starting of mining at survey no. 19. We invite you to do the same and more!
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