Ecological sacrifice for mining: case of Cudnem Mineral Block VII in Goa

Its unbelievable that Goa Government as created mining lease Cudnem block VII with 5.3612 ha of forest land within. These are the times of acute ecological crisis and such disgust to note that Goa's forest is on the way go for Vedanta, British mining company.

Cudnem mineral block consisting of 75.30 ha of land is going for Public Hearing today 18 October 2024 at 10.00 am at Ravindra Bhavan, Sanquelim for both mining of the ore as well as beneficiation plant which is essential environmentally dirty bussiness of washing of the iron ore extracted from an open cast mining pit.

Mining lease covers Sattari-Bicholim border villages of Honda, Sonshi and Cudnem and have already experienced mining tragedy for several decades.

EIA and EMP reports put out in Public domain by GSPCB itself has observations that are damaging. The entire location of the proposed mining activities are in ecologically highly sensitive area and it have several watery features.

Para 3.3 outlines how many rivers, nallas, dams, lakes etc flow from distance close to the mining lease:

"Water Bodies   (Note: There are other several Water Bodies within 10 kms buffer area)  Harvalem water fall 1.65 km, Cudnem River 0.23 km, Mandovi River 3.88 km, Valvanti River 3.95 km, Anjuem Dam 9.72 km, Bicholim River 9.30 km, Mhadai River 7.32 km, Seasonal Nalla Near Khodginum Village 1.70 km, Seasonal Nalla within the Mineral Block, Within the Mineral Block Area PP Shall maintain 50 m buffer Dhakul, Lake 3.95 km, Taleshwar Lake 3.90 km Crocodile Lake 4.71 km, Mandodari Lake 5.76 km,  Batwadi lake 6.87 km, Ajobachi talee Lake 7.84 km, Banana Water fall Zarme 8.00 km, Cumbarjua Canal 8.08 km, Aerekere Lake 9.08 km, Advoi Nalla 8.00 km, Ragada River 9.6 km."

Wetlands too are listed:

"Navelim (Not Notified) 1.90 Betal Temple Lake (Draft notified) 8.86 km, Kolamwada Lake (Draft Notified) 5.50 km, Vijayadurga Lake (Notified) 7.91 km, Banastari 9.49 km."

Impact on ground water is noted at para 4.7.2:

"The mining operations shall intersect the ground water table as the deepest mine workings in the mining plan period is -10.5 mts. Therefore, it requires major pumping  operations."

EIA report is categorical about Impact on wetlands at para 4.8.5:

"There are few wet lands present within the study area of 10 kms radius. The nearest wetlands to the mineral block area are Navelim (IBA) : 1.90 kms, Betal Temple Lake (Draft notified) -8.86 Km Kolamwada Lake (Draft Notified )  -5.50 km Vijayadurga Lake (Notified) -7.91 Km, Banastari -9.49 Km

Major impacts of mining on wetlands are anticipated:

"Destruction of wetland habitat:

Mining can indirectly damage the Habitat & environment.
 Water pollution: Mining can pollute surface and groundwater with chemicals like heavy metals i.e., Iron, Manganese, and toxic metals.
 Degradation of growth conditions: Mining can degrade the conditions for growing wood, land vegetation, and water flora and fauna.
 Bird’s migration: Mining can cause wild species to migrate and reduce their numbers.
 Aquatic Life : Mining can also effect the aquatic life
 Reduction of wild-growing plants: Mining can reduce the number of wild-growing plants.
 Water pollution

Impact on population in buffer zone (Page 133) covered under para 4.9.1 as under:

Majorly water pollution will be the suspended matter which flow from the mine during rainy season into the nearby nallahs. There is one Seasonal nalla within Mineral Block
1. Cudnem river – 0.23 km
2. Harvalem Water falls – 1.65 km.

Major Health Impact due to dust on Habitation warned:

Respiratory diseases due to dust Skin diseases due to pollution/ dust etc.

4.9.5 Impact on cropping patterns (Page 135) is familiar admittance:

The mining activities may impact agriculture due to air pollution, flowing of silt in agricultural land.

Para 6.3.5.1 notes about ground water levels:

"Water levels in wells at varying distances all around the project area shall be monitored every month." This is major blow from Vedanta Limited will come onto ground water of the locality. It's huge price to pay and must never be allowed.

Para 6.4 of EMP has brief note about Reporting Schedule:

"The environmental monitoring report will be sent to Goa State Pollution Control Board on a monthly basis and MoEF&CC & CPCB on a six-monthly basis. Copies of the reports will be maintained at the Mine and will be made available to the concerned inspecting authorities like Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), GSPCB, MOEF &CC etc." It's clear that Public will have no access to the monitored reports while Impact will have to be faced by public.

Table 3.19 has a column titled Pre-mining use and area of land use of the mining lease of the total 75.30 ha. It has detail break up data of land use. Of this three items are significant:
1. Degraded by Pits & Excavation 19.757 ha
2. Degraded by Dumps and Material Standing 14.5936 ha
3. Covered under mine infrastructure 1.9582 ha

Together the above three items totals 36.12 ha which is more than 50% of mining lease minus 5.3612 ha of land under forest. So even though there is claim of pre-mining use the land is already used for mining.

Para 2.6.4 of EIA details out sourcing of daily requirements of 95 KLD for mining purpose. Daily 10 KLD will be sourced from buffer villages wells. Closest 5 kms radius buffer zone village list given as under:

1. Poriem
2. Podocem
3. Arvelem
4. Virdi
5. Sanquelim
6. Amona
7. Navelim
8. Surla
9. Bonus
10. Pissurlem
11. Honda
12. Valvai
13. Velguem
14. Saleli
15. Morlem
Life of the mine mentioned in EIA as 20 years and life of the lease is 50 years. This means all the above mentioned 15 villages will be sucked of water directly daily for decades to come. Is this sacrifice worth doing for the sake of profit of single mining company?

Vedanta has put in its application to Forest department for conversion of forest land to mining purpose. It has also applied to Water Resources Department to pump water out from existing mining pit that was originally operated by Dempos till sold off to Sesa Goa, a subsidiary company of Vedanta.

Vedanta has carried on need based survey for SC/ST population in buffer zone of 10 kms but usurped SC land within mining leased hence its a stolen land and litigations are in the court of law even though EIA report denies this fact.

Cudnem mineral Block VII is one more step towards Goa's ecological destruction through mining blunders.

Goa is too precious and worth fighting for, worth burning mid-night lamp for the sake of life with dignity and freedom. Let's go forth boldly!

Towards Achievable Peace Agenda in Goa

Subhas Velingkar, chief RSS functionaries in Goa is booked under section 299 BNS 2023 at Bicholim Police Station last night after protests in Margao and on online platforms against his hateful speech three days ago in Bicholim. Speech involved controversial statements on St. Francis Xavier's incorrupt body at the Basillica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa.

His Konkani Speech was uploaded online and made available in public domain invoking widespread disapproval of his controversial positions that included demand for DNA test of St. Francis Xavier's "corpse" and shifting of his remains from Goa to Spain. Velingkar who has been active in brahmin-defence organisation known as RSS is known for his spiteful speeches directed towards religious controversies.

RSS was set up century ago as a militant cover providing buffer to Brahamin caste people as its original hidden agenda. They wear khaki uniforms, short pants, lathi in hand and hitler salute at their parade grounds. It's top leadership always stays with Brahmin males whose DNA doesn't match with any other caste in India indicating that they are ancient foreign invaders in India, formed graded inequality by way of Varna system and were always opposed to Dr. B.R.Ambedkar. DNA study was carried on decade ago by team of International Scholar led by Michael Bamshad of Utah University and research findings put out in public domain.

And as per demand of Subhas Velingkar dead Saint with foreign DNA cannot rest in India as Goecho Saib due to nationality question how can brahmin males with DNA that doesn't match with any other males in India continue to reside in India? Hon. Waman Meshram has been raising this issue across India over the past one decade and DNA of Brahmins and their foreign origin is already well established beyond doubt. The point is just because Brahmin male DNA are proved to be foreign to India should demand be raised to send brahmins outside India's borders to places in the World where their DNA matches? How would Subhas Velingkar and his RSS will respond if demand like this is raised when their organisation itself is founded and perpetuated for the safety and defence of Brahmins?

Nationality issue of Goa is well articulated by Supreme Court of India as "annexed through conquest" even though it is trumpeted as Liberation by the likes of Subhas Velingkar.

RSS has numerous offshoot organisations and BJP is one of them through with brahminical agenda is sought to be pushed on. It recruits its caders from lower castes, brainwashed thoroughly and released in society to create communal tensions.

There are historical findings that St. Francis Xavier himself was persecuted by brahmins during his lifetime. One night when pursued St. Francis Xavier hid on top of the tree at night. He has performed miracle of bringing dead person to life in order to win the faith of the local people who then converted to Catholic faith. It is therefore no surprise that RSS is still insecure with dead St. Francis Xavier many centuries ago. The fact remains in black and white that the religious philosophy and practice of faith that St. Francis Xavier lived and died for is completely hostile to Brahminical religion that declared every local man and woman as slave "shudra" as per manusmriti. St. Francis Xavier functioned with Grace of God and as per beliefs he has special mission for which his body stays in Goa.

RSS functions through setting up of various local level organisations known as Shakhas across India. Subhas Velingkar has been instrumental in setting up these organisational units in different parts of Goa. He traveled widely and trained large number of people to carry on hateful mission. One example is Divar Island. Over the past two decades Velingkar has been frequent visitor to conduct RSS cader camps injecting ideological poison in minds of vulnerable people.

The fruit of Velingkar's efforts are visible in rather stark manner in Divar. Handful of RSS functionaries has taken over management of St. Aloysius School on the island and carry on indoctrination program. Another non-Goan RSS functionary from Maharashtra who resides just opposite St. Aloysious School has taken over management of Divar crematorium.

School management ensures very strict compliance to communal agenda. No one associated with PTA of school is allowed to participate in Divar Bonderam festival floats prompting religious harmony. Few parents who participated in Bonderam few years back were warned by School management in a special and compliance to communal policies were ensured by threats of expelling their children studying at St. Aloysious School. When parents questioned on fact that Ganesh immersion in Divar cannot be carried on without catholic participation RSS functionary on school management turned red fazed and threatened parents of expulsion of their children.

RSS functionaries are also about to take over Navelim-Goltim Panchayat. Currently they are in preparatory stage and are in ruling camp backing Mario Pinto. If sufficient attention is not paid then it is just a matter of time that RSS will also take over the Panchayat.

RSS is active is St. Mathias Panchayat as well and their activities there needs careful examination and scanning. There they used Shivaji card and installed statue in front of the Panchayat. They haven't examined the role Portuguese played when Mughals were after his father and how Portuguese acted in those moments. RSS is also behind pushing Gram Sabha resolution for Bridge connecting Divar to Vanxim Island for corporate benefits. Sao Mathias Panchayat just had non-confidence motion against the sitting Sarpanch Supriya Tari. New Sarpanch role needs careful vigilance.

Subhas Velingkar has quality of arm twisting corporates to further their agenda. The way Subhas Velingkar went about hijacking anti-mining movement in Bicholim is worth examining. He got involved against agitation against Dempo Mines in Lamgao village many years ago. Then took over the leadership of the movement. After that compromised with Dempos after extracting enough funds to construct their educational institution names after Hedgewar in Panjim. Agitation against mining was withdrawn. Local people betrayed. Ecology destroyed.

Subhas Velingkar's comments provides us with opportunity to examine and addresses cancerous growth in our society promoted by RSS and their functionaries all over Goa in cities and villages. Its an occasion to know them, understand them and combat them. They operate in complex manner but can be traced effectively and exposed with the blessings of St. Francis Xavier.

We need to expand horizons of our vigilance to all over Goa, to all that RSS does and confront their role as springs of hatred, disharmony at the service of a the destructive projects and  promotion ecocide of Goa.

We begin with Divar island and name RSS functionaries here in Public Interests: Shindolkar and Sarvesh These two people constitute RSS leadership in Divar island who directs clandastine divisive agenda and close collaborators of Subhas Velingkar.

Let's profile RSS functionaries village by village and bring then to light in public domain. This will make dealing with RSS agenda effective and impactful.

It's important to remember that RSS is a cadre based organisation and there is entire organisation behind nefarious acts of Subhas Velingkar. On October 06, 2022 three lakh volunteers Bharat Mukti Morcha (BMM) led by Hon. Waman Meshram marched to RSS headquarters in Nagpur and forced shut it down. BMM is the first organisation to march on RSS headquarters as likes of Subhas Velingkar are directed from there to pursue their hateful enslaving agendas.

In the meanwhile let's continue to pray for Subhas Velingkar for God may touch him just the way Saul was to emerge as Paul.

Jai Mulnivasi!

Mourn the Goa land sale in Delhi or celebrate Gandhi Jayanth in Goa?i

While many celebrate birth anniversary of M.K.Gandhi today in India the rapacious corporate wolves are devoring Goa on Delhi. Our land is put on platter to be traded, to be sold, to be purchased.

Goa has been put on National Highlighter at an exclusive property Expo. This is indeed so sickening and we wish Soviet Union had never exercised veto at UN security council on 18 December 1961 to facilitate India's annexure of Goa through conquest.

M.K. Gandhi had no position on Goa. He fought British. Not Portuguese rule in Goa. One needs to examine reasons for this political position he took. What would be Gandhian position on outright scandalous co-ersive corporate takeover of Goa's land in India's capital New Delhi?

It's choice one needs to make whether to celebrate Birth Anniversary of M.K. Gandhi or mourn sale of Goa as 'property' in Delhi. For State its celebration. For People in Goa it's mourning: sorrowful sagas for Goa once again planned in Delhi whiled executed in Goa.