Illegal early morning Sand mining in Mandovi

This video clip by anonymous went viral today on social media is from Naroa bank of Mandovi river in Bicholim taluka that captures illegal sand mining trade early  morning on 15 September 2023.

This indicated active container of Department of Mines and Geology, Goa Police and Mamlatdars of Tiswadi and Bicholim Talukas.

Naroa has been one of the Hotspot of daily illegal sand mining from mid-night to dawn. Other notable Hotspot include Vanxim island and Chamerem in Chorao island.

Yesterday six more cannoes are lined up in chamerem for illegal sand extraction. Cannoes are hidden inside Mangroves at Chamerem, Chorao.

There are other places of sand extraction tentacles have reached. One such place is Tikhazan in Naroa, Bicholim.

Current illegal sand Mining is being carried on with active conniving of Politicians and Police. Week ago raid was conducted against illegal sand mining in Vanxim. More details are awaited.

Goa Politicians surrenders agriculture to mining

 Goa Government surrender Agricultural land to mining interests 

It is saddening to note that Goa Government even though is preparing agriculture policy it has sabotaged Goa's farming interests through surrender to mining aggressions. Goa Legislative Assembly has not only committed blunder of the century but has also reduced themselves as merely executive committee of the mining companies. Long battle awaits us.

                      The text

Section 30 of the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968 "Permision for non-agricultural use.--- No land used for agriculture shall be used for any non-agricultural purpose; and no land assessed for one non-agricultural purpose shall be used for any other non-agricultural purpose or for the same non-agricultural purpose but in relaxation of any of the conditions imposed at the time of the grant or permission for non-agricultural purpose, except with the permission of the Collector under Section 32.

[Provided that the provisions of this section shall not be applicable to the land in occupation of the Government, Corporation of the City of Panaji, a Municipal Council or a Village Panchayat and land to be used for the installation of solar or wind power station.(inserted vide Ammendment Act 5 of 2021)] 

[Provided further that, nothing in this section shall apply to the activity undertaken in pursuance of the permission/licence granted under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (Central Act No. 67 of 1957) and rules made thereunder.(Inserted vide Amendment Act 6 of 2023)]

 

                    Implications

2023 Amendment to section 30 of the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968 carried on by Goa Legislative Assembly allows mining in agriculture land without any permision from Collector of the respective Districts in Goa.

                        Çonsequences

So now it is legal to take over paddy fields for mining purpose. There is no need for mining companies even to pay any compensation for crop loss due to siltation of fields.

                  Matter of Choice

Goa Government has chosen mining over agriculture. Mining is all set to inflict artifical planned disaster in near future and Goa's legislature is complicit in it. People have to make their choice. Agriculture policy cannot supercede Land Revenue Code. Ģoa Agriculuture Minister Ravi Naik and the members of the drafting committee has to make their stand clear or no policy can work however good it may be if Amendment to section 30 allowing mining in agriculture is not withdrawn.

Kindly share this note further. 

Dr. S.A. Rodrigues

Convenor,

Bharat Mukti Morcha,

Goa State

M: 9923336347

 To,

 

Shri Bhupender Yadav, 

Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,

Government of India, New Delhi

 

To,

 

Shri Ashwini Kumar Chowbey,

Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change,

Government of India, New Delhi

 

To,

 

Ms. Leena Nandan,

Secretary,

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change,

Government of India, New Delhi

 

September 13, 2023

 

Subject: Request to deny Environmental Clearance to Vedanta Private Limited Block I Bicholim MIneral Block in Goa

 

Sir/Madam,

 

Greetings from Goa!

 

It has come to our attention from media reports in Goa that Vedanta Private Limited has approached Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to seek Environmental Clearance (EC). We write to you being highly responsible person in MoEF&CC with a request to deny EC to Vedanta Private Limited to avoid catastrophic consequences for the State of Goa. We thought it is prudent to alert you well in advance to avoid regrets later on.

 

EIA reports presented by Project proponents id defective on several grounds. River Bicholim is Flood prone river but this information is concealed in the EIA.

 

2023 Disaster Management Plan for North Goa District records that this mine is likely to trigger disaster for Bicholim town and Sirigao village.

 

2019 study (attached with this email) carried on by Department of Marine Science, Goa University has conclusively proved that mining activities from this mine has polluted Bicholim River to a dangerous level.

 

EIA report reveals that ore to rejection ratio is goin to be 1:8.39. This means that there will be overburden of 2,51,70,000 tonnes per year. Undoubtably this will run off into the Bicholim River through outlets as the height of the mining site is given as 169 meters. This mean gradient will be very steep. Consequently monsoon will rip apart ecosystem with the might of gutsy monsoons washing away mining rejection in surrounding water bodies.

 

There are 13 lakes covering nearly three hectares of space within the mining lease limits in Mulgao. Additionally within 3 Top are there are three lakes, five springs emerging out of foothills of 3 Top hill. Several Hectares of arecanut palantations, rice fields source the water supply from these water bodies

 

There are number of houses within lease limits. Mulgao village alone has 223 houses withing lease limits. Similarly there are more houses withing mining lease limits in other core zone villages. In Lamgao village there are 50 houses and 05 temples within mining lease. In the event of granting of EC from your office these houses are liable to be demolished in order to extract ore, Of course you will care to protect Goa’s ecology at our appeal only if you care or you wont. But we wish to let you know that we care and that’s why we knock your ears. Even village crematorium is missing in EIA.

 

Because of this mine there are frequent flooding of river.

 

At the Public Hearing conducted based of 622 page EIA report just 10 minutes were allotted per speaker. This is an arbitrary way of conducting public hearing violating even the common sense that 622 pages of EIA cannot be critically asses within 10 minutes. Project Proponent’s consultant was absent for the Public Hearing till late evening. Speakers who wanted to clarifcation did not get to question the consultant till in the evening. And in the evening too only 05 minutes were granted to question.

 

Assanora river is close to 15/1941 mining leases and now component of amalgamated mining lease at the distance of 10 meters. No ten meter barrier exists between river and mining pit as claimed in EIA/EMP.

 

All the above indicate that the method of baseline data collection adopted is defective and there are serious doubts on the timing of study being during Covid-19 lockdown as stated in project proponent’s application form before your office.

 

Wells (indicators of ground water) in close proximity from core zone are missing in EIA report.

 

Consusltant backtracked on the claims that this mining project is greenfield project. This mining site is in operation for last 80 years with its beginning in 1941.

 

In violation of Terms of Reference Project proponent intents to use public road used by civilians of around 900 meters. This will put life of the civilians under serious life threatening risk.

 

Rainfall noted in EIA is 3500 mm which is wrong.

Thanking you,

Yours truly,

Ramesh Gauns, 

Bicholim

M: 9270085105

Dr. Sebastiao A. Rodgigues,

Convenor, Bharat Mukti Morcha, Goa State

M: 9923336347

Vanxim in the context of Goa Agriculture Policy

There are several acres of agricultural land that are taken over through legitimate or illegitimate means for non-agicultural interests such as tourism, mining, real estate, educational institutions, roads, highways, highway expansions and industrial estates over the last three decades in the name of development. This has certainly provided big jolt to Goa's food security and traditional livelihoods systems that were essentially self-sustaining. Current churnings around drafting of Goanagricultire policy has provided added impetus for a collective reflection across state of Goa. 

While it is welcome initiative from the Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik to initiate this policy there remains looming concerns about the process and the scope of the policy intentions as put out by Director of Agriculture on May 23, 2023 with later amendments.

State of Goa has brazenly launched war on Goa's food security through multi faced attacked on Goa's land that sustained people in Goa for generations together. Unfortunately State wasn't alone in this ghastly aggression. Goa Archbishop and now Cardinal too joined the race to ruin Goa. With a masterful stroke of a monster he sold off Vanxim paddy fields to his Altinho neighbour Mahendra Gaunekar at a price less than peanut in 2007. This land then got under control of Bangalore based scamster Satyamurti Vasudevan in 2015 and came under IPB jurisdiction through cabinet decision. It's classic study on abuse of position and power by State and Religious authority. Goa Archbishop's office was well aware of Vanxim paddy fields going in the hands of corporate ruffians from the agreement to sale of Vanxim that was executed by then Archbishop Raul N. Gonsalves in April 1999. Yet monstrous trail was allowed to be completed.

From 2010 Mahendra Gaunekar initiated legal proceedings against all the tenants and deemed purchasers in the office of Deputy Collector at Panjim for condonation of delay with Santa Monica Society as the interested party. Deputy Collector passed orders in favour of Mahendra Gaunekar even though deputy collector has no power to do so as argued before Administrative Tribunal by none other than Adv. Mahesh Sonak representing Mahendra Gaunekar and currently Judge at Goa Bench of Bombay High Court. The cases then got revived at Mamlatdar court at Panjim seeking erasure of tenants. Out of 70 tenants on record- 35 from Vanxim and 35 from Naroa, Bicholim (to whom Vanxim people had given to cultivate but tenancy law gave them infinite tenure right over land) nearly 66 connived into getting their names erased as tenant submitting falsely that they never cultivated paddy fields in Vanxim and their names on form I & XIV form was by mistake. Most of them never had their own lawyer and surrendered their land cheaply. Those few who had their lawyer entered into costly deals and got paid several lakh. We were offered too and we refused steadfastly and litigation continues. And this is the reason paddy fields of khazan nature in Mandovi though sold off yet remains under litigation and legal hurdles persists. In not a single instance Archbishop's lawyer in Deputy Collector's court stood up to state the truth that tenants indeed cultivated paddy fields.

Most people in Vanxim seems to have understood as to how Ozone corporate hoodwinked them are now more alert than before.

Bharat Mukti Morcha has called for the investigations into the Vanxim deal with clear terms of references. Unfortunately even CBI has refused to investigate saying that Vanxim is beyond the CBI Jurisdiction.

Inspite of all the blocks in all side we have marched on with flame of dissent in our hand. We walked for 13 years and we invite you to join the journey ahead.

Challenge for all of us is (1) How do we get Ozone kicked out from Vanxim (2) How do we reclaim legal titles again on Vanxim paddy fields (3) How do we start cultivation paddy back again with all the hard work and diligence. 

How do we situate Vanxim khazan fileds in the context of Agriculture Policy for Goa much beyond State interpretation? What is people interpretation of Agriculture policy? Considering that several politicians on Goa who are in the Assembly and Parliament allegedly being palm greased by Ozone agents negative approach to Vanxim from politicians and State agencies are anticipated. What we need to focus is on People interpretation and enforcement of agriculture policy to overcome variety of official blockades to ensure Agriculture in Goa is revived inspite of all the blocks.

Time to shut down Goa Mines and Geology Department forever?

It has been revealed that due to callous attitude of Goa Department of Mines and Geology 223 Mulgao (Bicholim taluka) residential houses and village agriculture land has been included within the boundary of the mining lease. 

Paddy fields already witnessed meter and half thick layer of silt rendering cultivation of rice impossible just like Sirgao. Horticulture crops yields has drastically dropped just like Pissurlem. Water sources of the village like wells, springs, lakes has suffered terrible blow due to mining activities already by Dempo Mining Corporation and then by Sesa owned by Vedanta, London based corporate. For years together agriculture progressively ruined.

On August 11, 2023 Vedanta private limited carried on Public Hearing for this very mine (Block I Bicholim Mineral Block) to seek Environmental Clearance from Central Government that will be valid for 50 years like the mining lease!

Mining department officials know all this but it pretents deaf. The way irresponsibility of mining Department is increasing the only solution looks to be to shut it down permanently as it's stupidity has taken dangerous infinite proportion at corporate dictates.

Stupidity of Goa Department of Mines and Geology that is headed by Chief Minister himself is supervised by brahmin supremacy organisastion RSS with its headquarters at Nagpur. This headquarters -as a matter of fact - was shut down on October 06, 2022 after 2.5 lakh People marched to the office forcing exodus of all the inmates including its Supreme commander sarsanchalak. 

If mining industry continues its aggression then people of Goa will be compelled to take certain decisive steps against RSS and that means swelling the ranks of Bharat Mukti Morcha currently led by Waman Meshram.  Yet again Time for decisive action arrived. The powers that are committed to destroy Goa's agriculture and ecology through mining are of national and international nature. Consequently we need response that is not only local but also national and international in character. Let's explore further in this direction.

Goa Fisheries Corpus Fund Fraud

All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union

08 September 2023

To,

The Secretary ( Fisheries )

Government of Goa,

Porvorim, Goa

Subject: Follow up to our 28/08/2023 meeting with you regarding corpus funds irregularities etc.

Sir,

Please find following annexed RTI doccuments we received from Goa Fisheries department attached with this letter:

1. Minutes of the 5th meeting of Corpus fund scrutiny committee held on 10 November 2020.

2. Minutes of the 4th meeting of the managing committee of the corpus fund held on 17 May 2023. Participation of Shri Francisco Braganza at the meeting has no gazzetted appointment. Hence this meeting is invalid and all the decions taken at this meeting are invalid. This include decision to overlook payment of five instalments by Sanjay Faterpekar to his cannoe that got burned in accidental fire on 19 March 2023. Sanjay Faterpekar is sanctioned Rs. 40,000/- at this meeting based on only two installments out of five he paid totally. Director of Fisheries has agreed on meeting with us on 21 August 2023 that this is a mistake by the managing committee but there is no provision in the scheme to do the correction. We find this position ridiculous. From discussions with him we realized that corpus fund scheme was amended after collecting two instalments for fishing net insurance and collected amount was never returned to the fishermen. We however understood that if department desires corpus fund scheme can be amended to suit specific needs. You are therefore requested to pay attention to this issue and if necessary, bring about necessary Ammendment in the corpus fund scheme to ensure that Sanjay Faterpekar gets justice by getting remaining Rs. 60,000/- without any further delay and procedural hurdles like corpus fund having no provisions to effect corrections to the mistakes committed by the managing committee.

3. Gazzate notification dated 23 May 2023 where in this corpus fund was created through scheme "Natural Calamity Relief to Fishermen" wherein accidental fire is covered. We attach this document to you to prove wrong the statement of Mr. Chandrakant Velip, deputy director of Fisheries department at our above refered meeting with you on 28 August 2023 wherein he stated that accidental fire to cannoes are not covered under this scheme. Mr. Velip has involved in deliberate act of providing false information to you in our presence and you are requested to initiate action against him for acting against traditional small scale fishing communities interests and intimate us about the same. There are number of other such mischief he has played with us and if need we will create record and present to you. Do let us know.

Thanking you,

Yours Truly, 

Shaila D'mello

President

Laximan Mangueshkar 

Secretary

Minutes of Vedanta Limited Public Hearing as Public Butchery

With Mining company ex-Environmental cum Public Relations officer as the Chairman of the Goa State Pollution Control Board in the form of Mahesh Patil (https://goaspcb.gov.in/constitution-of-board/) the autonomous institution has been drastically reduced in their capacity to deal with conduct of public hearing in suitable and efficient manner. At Sarvan on 11 August 2023 Public Hearing norms were flung to the winds. At the end of the Public Hearing minutes were to be prepared and shared. It was not done till 1.30 am on 12 August 2023. Notes taking capacity was in total mess. People had no idea as to whose names are omitted and whose names are included. Entire staff of GSPCB looked in total disarray. It looked that space given to the staff of London based Anil Agarwal's company Vedanta Limited staff on the stage were controlling the strings behind the scene behind the installed black curtain on the stage.

Minutes of the Public Hearing was declared by the North Goa Collector will be put out on the website in two days time. Finally today it is online after five days at https://goaspcb.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/MINUTES.pdf. One look revealed that the entire page 12 is missing. Names of speakers and their contribution from serial no 33 to 35 has vanished. There has been careful deletion of contents and names of the speakers too. Nilesh Karbatkar from Mayem who is the Union leader of the Sesa Goa mining corporation has been marked absent "not present" at serial number 153 even though he not only was present and also spoke critically about Vedanta. Noted voice critical about mining in Goa Ramesh Gauns saw that his speech recorded at the minutes is nothing short of butchery at serial no.124.


There is no hope for improvement. Crisis that has set in has taken chronic proportions. As long as Vedanta has its ex-employees as the Chairman of GSPCB nothing really expected to change. As this is the first Public Hearing of the Auctioned iron ore mines things have become clearer than ever: mining industry has taken firm grip over the GSPCB and butchery in noting of minutes and writings of minutes will be sharpened as the days goes on, maturity of butchers increase.


A new league of money games has just become visible!


Dr.S.A. Rodrigues

Objections on Block - I Bicholim Mineral Block

 From:

 Dr. Sebastiao A. Rodrigues

Convenor,

Bharat Mukti Morcha, (Goa State)

48/2,Vanxim, P.O. Piedade,

Ilhas, Goa

Mobile: 9923336347

Date: 11 August 2013

To,

 The member secretary,

Goa State Pollution Control Board, 

Saligao, Bardez, Goa

Subject: Objections to the commissioning of Block-I Bicholim Mineral Block by Vedanta Limited

Madam,

We strongly object to the commissioning of Block-I Bicholim Mineral Block by Project Proponent (PP)Vedanta Limited on following grounds:

1. PP applied to MoEF & CC for Terms of Reference to Prepare EIA report on 16 March 2023. In their application PP disclosed that their period of baseline data collection lasted from 01 October 2020 to 31 December 2020 covering one post monsoon season. Executive summery (Page 04) of Block-I Bicholim Mineral Block states that MoEF&CC accorded Terms of Reference on 16 June 2023 and Baseline Data was collected during the period from March to May 2023. So there is fraud committed by PP by providing two different dates of periods of baseline data collection. This is indeed a fraud because EIA report does not mention anything about baseline data collection period of 01 October 2020 to 31 December 2020. Moreover that was time of Covid-19 lockdown in Goa. In view of these fraudulent manipulations and inconsistencies observed baseline data collection period is a suspect. PP therefore be directed to prepare fresh EIA without any inconsistencies on period of data collection and conduct fresh Public Hearing as per ToR no.70.

2. Neither the PP nor the Goa Government has consulted local decision making bodies namely the Panchayats before going for auctioning of the mine. This way of functioning is completely anti-democratic. We therefore strongly object to the way auctioning process itself has been carried on. 

3. We take strong objections to the Reference to this mine in EIA as "Green Field Project". This amangation of 05 mines is operating as per available records from the year 1941 and has completes 82 years of its functioning on 20 August 2023. Moreover as per online sources PP is associated with these Mines from 2009 and as per records with Department of Mines and Geology PP proponents logo appears on large number of correspondence concerning these amalgamated Mines like the letter of Agent M.K. Reddy to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) dated 14 November 2012 denying illegal mining and encroachment by M/s Dempo & Souza (Sesa Resource). Moreover page 16 of EIA admits that there are totally 5 pits within the proposed mining lease and Table 2.5 even presents details of Active pits. Further Mines Minister and Chief Minister of Goa Dr. Pramod Sawant on 09 August 2023 has stated on the floor of the Goa State Assembly that these amalgamated Mines in under EIA consideration are granted for the same company who used to operate before 2012 Supreme Court ban. Video online Facebook link to the entire mining debate under reference here is available here: https://fb.watch/mjb2PK3tbt/?mibextid=Ol9HDD 

4. PP therefore inherit all the liabilities of all the five Dempo amalgamated Mines: 11/1941, 12/1941, 13/1941, 14/1941 and 15/1941. Dempo mining corporation private limited was renamed as Sesa Mining Corporation Limited on 18 November 2010. There already exists sufficient evidence of public nuisance and environmental security threats already created by these amalgamated Mines over the past 82 years of which PP is associated directly and indirectly from 2009 for 14 years. Research Article published in Research Journal of Environmental and Earth Sciences 11(1): 1-13, 2019 titled "Impact of Past Iron Ore Mining on the Sediment Ore of Rivers of Goa: West-coast of India by N.T.Rane and V.M. Matta of the Department of Marine Science,  Goa University has made critical observations regarding Bicholim River that according to the Executive Summery flows at the distance of 0.23 kms from the Lease boundary carry large amount of polluted water into its waters. Abstract of this scientific study notes "the study revealed that the Bicholim river is strongly polluted with Fe & Pb...High contamination of Fe and MN and considerable contamination for Pb and Cr in Bicholim River sediment core can be attributed to enormous mining activities and discharge of wastes in this region." In the light of this study commissioning of Block-I Bicholim Mineral Block will further aggravate ecological health of Bicholim River that connects Mandovi river. Thus study has been ignored by PP thereby for their ulterior motives to contaminate and pollute Bicholim River.

5. North Goa Disaster Management Plan 2023 on page 184 foresees landslides due to mining in three Villages due to this amalgamated mine. In Mulgao survey numbers 116 and 117, 80 houses and 55 hectares of land is forecasted to be impacted. In Maem 30 houses and 25 hectares of crops are predicted to be negatively affected. In Sirigao survey numbers 81 & 85 are classified to be likely damaged due to mining triggered landslides. Goa Government has already accepted landslides threats due to mining. Actual threats are much more serious and dangerous. On this ground too Block -I Bicholim Mineral Block must not be permitted to be commissioned.

6. Modification to Approved mining Plan dated 26 October 2017 presented on the floor of the Goa Legislative Assembly by Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant in response to LAQ from Yuri Alemao states name of this mining lease as M.L. No. 08/AMLG(MG-5)SMCL/17. This information is concealed in EIA. Further page no. 07 states that out of 478.5206 Ha lease area of this mining lease 407.7446 Ha is acquired. That means 70.7446 Ha of land is not aquired. Which are the survey numbers and villages where this yet to be aquired land is located? This information is concealed in presented EIA report by PP. Further Page no. 09 of the modification to Approved mining Plan states that Bicholim Amalgamated mine was granted lease on 20 August 1941 and expires on 21 November 2027. All these details are concealed from EIA report. Information furnished in EIA Study is defective and misleading and PP be directed to prepare fresh EIA and hold Public Hearing afresh.

7. This amalgamated Mine PP is involved illegal mining activities and owes more than 100 crores of Rupees to the Goa State as revealed from the LAQ discussion on the floor of Goa Legislative Assembly on 09 August 2023. Print copy of the colored Google map attached as Annexure I in the 11/1941 mining lease file at the Goa Department of Mines and Geology, reveals investigations by Shah Commission revealing expansion of mining activities beyond lease boundary taken by hand held GPS and Sesa Goa Limited Lease boundary taken by DGPS. Its illegalities are confirmed. EIA reports has not attached any document certifying that PP are not involved in illegal mining at this amalgamated mining site. This I in violation of ToR no. 07 and among major grounds for rejecting PP application to commission mining at the proposed site.

8. EIA report does take into account destruction of paddy fields, drying of ground water of 60 wells in Sirigao village due to mining activities of the PP together with other two existing Mines of Chowgules and Bandekars. Cummilitive impact of the village due to operation of these Mines is already a mega disaster encompassing human habitation and religious structures. The to Assanora river due to seepage of river water into mining pit is grave and have not been dealt with in adequate manner. Moreover objections of the villagers against commissioning of auctioned Mines in the village filed before the Goa Government authorities are ignored by the PP. NEERI report has already proved thar siltation of Sirgao paddy fields is due to mining leases operating in the village including the mine that PP desires to commision.

9. PP has pathetic track record in treatment of people and ecology. They are involved in Nadidihi Iron Ore mine of ESL Steel Limited in Jharkhand, India. Currently people residing nearby are compeled to use polluted and untreated beneficiated water from its mines for drinking purpose. 

10. Such glaring violations are carried on by PP by efficient Public Relations. In fact one ex-officer of PP is currently Chairman of the Goa State Pollution Control Board named Mahesh Patil.

11. Conduct of the PP can be understood from the observations made in its Judgement in T.N.Godavarman Thirumulpad....(Petitioner) versus Union of India....(Respondents)and in the matter of Vedanta Alumina Ltd ...(Applicant) of 23 November 2007. Four observations of construction Supreme Court we quote here. (1) NORWAY has dropped British mining and metals group Vedanta Resources from its $ 350 billion oil fund at the recommendation of the Fund's Ethics Council, which blamed it for environmental damage and human rights violations, the Finance Ministry said. (2) Vedanta Resources is accused of having caused environmental damage and contributed to human and labour rights violations. (3) We cannot take the risk of handing over an important asset into the hands of the company unless we are satisfied about its credibility. (4) In the corvumstances keeping in mind the totality of the above factors, we are not inclined to clear the Project. Company with such a dubious record must not be allowed to commission the amalgamated lease.

12. Major water bodies such as lakes five lakes in Mulgao and seven lakes in Lamgao village are not included in the baseline data of the presented EIA/EMP report. Lakes in Mulgao occupy 21,050 square meters of land covering survey nos. 71/0, 69/1, 61/2, 257/1 and 117/1. In Lamgao seven lakes cover area of 6,925 square meters of land covering survey nos. 5/18, 8/1, 14/1, 14/3, 22/9 and 25/1. Additionally several fresh water springs in Maem village is excluded from baseline data in EIA. Total lake area amounts to nearly 03 ha. PP be directed to conduct fresh EIA with correct baseline data and go go for fresh Public Hearing.

13. Maem lake springs numbering two dried up. Before the mining pit was excavated for the ore for more than 50 years resulted in drying up of two springs that emptying water into Maem lake. This is because ground water regime got disrupted as the depth of the mining pit increased steadily.

14. In the close proximity of this mining project there are 25 wells in Bicholim with water. PP carried on the study on ground water from the various villages beyond Bicholim Town. Wells are the indicators of the ground water existence in the region. There are at least 25 wells in the close proximity of mining area. Consultants should have studied water levels in the wells in the lean period of summer that is May but this is not done as per EIA. Sirigao and Pissurlem are classic example where wells have dried up due to the mining pits which have gone below 50 to 60 meter depth and resulted in drying up of wells. This fact has been denied by all the mining companies in Sirigao that their mining pit caused it. Histoy of wells going dry will repeat in all the wells situated in close proximity to the mine and trigger off blame game between the locals and the PP. PP should have consulted Water Resources Department, Government of Goa on the question of ground water. In Maem at the foot hill of 2 Top Hillock there are 2 small lakes ( tanks) which go dry in the month of March, April and May. Springs also dry up due to the mining pit on the other side of 2 Top.

15. EIA Executive summery page 07 states “Mine does not have any forest land within the lease. The area is located on the foot hills of western ghats belt.” It is not true that the area is located on the foot hills of the western ghats belt. The distance between this mining project and the foot hills of western ghats is around 22 kms. In the foot hills of the Western Ghats is Taluka of Sattari. Whereas the Bicholim Taluka where this mine is located is Plateau region. Therefore the baseline data appears to be the cut and paste job. Hence this EIA study cannot be accepted for this Public Hearing to avail EC.

16. EIA Executive summery comment on page 07 “Mine does not have any forest land” is misleading. Name of at least one of the amalgamated mine 12 of 1941 indicates that there was forest here when the lease was granted 82 years ago. The name of this mine is Vagachiper that mean tiger favoured spot.. Tiger need forest as habitation and this mine was forest in 1941 until mining destroyed the same. Similarly mining lease 14 of 1941 that is part of amalgamated mine is named Toticho mor which means Peacock with a beak. This indicate that then existed forest where there were plenty of Peacocks. There is still Government Forest that is encroached by mining company in Mayem village. Boundary limit of 2 top in Maem is covered under forest land currently under company’s illegal possession.

17. Mining as serial disaster:This amalgamated mine has a history of triggering disasters. BIcholim was flooded on 13 June 1981 causing huge damage to the property. Government appointed expert committee to investigate the occurrence of flood in BIcholim. Page 236 of Fish, Curry and Rice: A source book on Goa, its ecology and lifestyle (2002) has reported that government appointed committee concluded that 1981 Bicholim floods were because of nearby mine. Nearby mine then belonged to Dempo Mining Corporation. In Accident of 1991 at Valshi in Bordem wherein 04 pople were killed, 06 injured and 144 farmers lost their paddy crop. Mining accident on 20 November 2011 in Mulgao caused breach of bund leading to siltation of paddy fields, siltation of arecanut plantations and silt entered nearby village temple. There was huge run off in 2009 at Paj wadda, Bicholim during rainy season. Water gushed down into locality carried mining silt, stones, mud on the entire road from Zantye Cashew factory to the building where LIC office is located. Cause stretched upto Petrol Pump and Shops. Nearly all the houses in Paj wadda had generous deposit of mining silt. 

18. Page 07 of Executive Summery notes “The general elevation of ML area varies from 169.14 m to -37.24 m above MSL.”  With 169.14 m elevated location disasters cannot be managed. In spite of all the precautions disasters are bound to occur. We recommend that since disasters cannot be avoided this mining project must be closed.

19. EIA does not mention anything about beneficiation plan. It gives an impression that ore will be exported without washing. However the approved modified plan tabled in the Goa State Legislative Assembly mentions wet beneficiation plan for at Mine portion at Top Pit 1. 

20. Page 16 of EIA notes that the “slope of Overburden and Mineral benches shall be maintained at 70 degree and overall slope of <26 degrees respectively.” What is the gradient of highest point of the core zone with respect o Town of BIcholim, River Bicholim, villages of Lamgao, Mulgao, Sirigao, Bordem and Maem? With 3500 mm of rainfall mentioned in the EIA report with 70 degrees gradient of overburden disaster in monsoon season is inevitable with elevation of 169.14 meters. Gradient of mining site without overburden is not given in EIA study.

21. Page 17 of EIA has Table 2.7 Raw Ore Material (ROM) quantity if given as 3000000 tonnes. According to Vedanta letter dated to the Director General (Statistics), Nagpur ROM was reported as NIL. Letter is filed as page 277/C in Mining lease file of 11/1941 at Goa Department of Mines and Geology. In 2015 there is no ROM and then suddenly PP has reported huge quantity of ROM as 3000000 tones. How this discrepancy can be accounted?.

22. EIA of 2003 of Dempo mining corporation gave ore to waste ration as 1:2.5 and the production of 2 million tonnes per annum. The present PP is trying to win 3 million tonnes per annum and also encountering ore to waste ratio as 1:8.39. This is absurd. Possible the exaggerated figure of the ore to waste ration is intentionally given to go for robbing of ore. Considering that illegalities committed by Vedanta in parts of the world and in India too the possibility of the PP carrying day light robber of Goa’s ore is highly possible.

23. Page 149 of EIA at point 4.10 has table that provides trips per day as 1205 tones of iron raw. On calculation it was found that for 30 days it is 36150 tones. Therefore figure for 12 months is 433800 tones. PP has given figure as 3000000 tones. But based on calculations of trips per day annual production doesn’t touch half a million tones per annum. The figures given of tones per day and trips per day do not match the quantity given of 3000000 tones.

24. From 2011 to 2013 Vedanta was alleged by Directorate of Mines and Geology of carrying on illegal mining of 2076746 tones worth Rs. 97.48 crore. Vedanta is habitual perpetrator of economic crimes related to mining. Therefore PP cannot be expected to function at any point without committing illegalities.

25. According to Supreme Court of India Vedanta land for University in Odisha was illegal along Puri and Konark marine drive. Supreme Court stated “It is not appreciable why the government offered such an undue favour in favour of one Trust/Company”. Replica of the this situation has happened in Goa. Vedanta owes 100 crore to Goa Government as per the proceedings of the Goa legislative assembly on 09 August 2023.

26. PP has not consulted any bio-diversity registers at any of the 56 Panchayats and 12 Municipalities in core zone and buffer zone of the mine. Therefore flora and fauna baseline data collection method is faulty and strong ground to reject EIA and direct to prepare fresh one with correct method.  

We hereby suggest that EIA having more than 600 pages to read for a common people is very difficult but beyond that to expect common man to study and participate in the Public Hearing is an impossible task. So either the Pollution Control Board or the consultant of the concern EIAs should bear the responsibility to explain how to study and comprehend technical data by going to the Panchayat or Municipalities. Or if the EIA study exceed 300 pages Public Hearing should be conducted after 60 days.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

  Sd/-

 Dr. Sebastiao A. Rodrigues

 

 

 

 

 

Bonded labour in Old Goa

Call up Old Goa Police Station on its landline and lodge your protest: 0832-2285301

Entry into Goa: June 24, 2023

The couple Mahendra Shamba Solekar (Ramnagar) and Akshata Anandu Velip (Joida) from Ramnagar, Karnataka entered Goa 24th June 2023.

Man (Agent) named Uday Deshpande (from Belgaum?) With mobile number 7411275974 contacted wife Akshata Valip at home in Joida for job at Old Goa. 

Agent contacted through wife's cousin Deepa Unjekar.

Agent took wife from Panjim at 5.30 pm to Old Old directly while husband proceeded to Parcem, Pernem to reside.

Day Ordeal begins: June 25, 2023

Wife contacted husband at around 9.00 am on June 25, 2023 saying that it's time for her to join duty on shop. Then again she called up at 2.30 pm same day with normal conversation. Then she called up at 7.30 pm wife called husband crying pleading that she is terribly disturbed at work. Then she shared address on WhatsApp to husband on where she is kept captive.

8.00 pm husband called wife. Phone answered by Madhavi Pai (mobile number: 9309523479) is where wife is working calling husband to Old Goa police station.

Husband went to police station at 11.30 pm and waited till 01.00 pm. Investigating officer Loreen Dias, it was informed by police staff to husband that said PSI has finished her duty.

Aggrevating situation: June 26, 2023

Husband visited Old Goa Police Station at 10.00 am. Mobile proof of marriage rejected. Husband visited police station again at 01.00 pm. PSI Loreen Dias was present. She rejected original marriage certificate and wanted marriage witnesses to be present at the police station. Refused to arrange meeting with his wife claiming certificates are duplicate.

Address of the working shared by wife to husband at 4.44 pm on June 25, 2023 as :

Sardhina coop housing society, F1,F2, Corlim, Old Goa, Mollar, opposite lndian overseas Bank Old Goa.

Bharat Mukti Morcha (BMM), Goa Unit has received copy of the bonded labour complaint at Old Goa and currently studying the manner.

BMM calls upon Goa Police produce Akshata Velip to her husband Mahendra Sulekar.

BMM has contacted Old Goa Police Station Padwalkar and brought this matter to the attention to his attention.

Attempt to contact PSI Loreen Dias on phone has turned futile so far. Wife's phone number is switched off and where about of wife is not known so far. Husband continues to be in anguish more so because police has informed him that wife's mobile is in police custody. How can police take custody of wife's mobile phone? And where is Akshata? 

Ground for police intervention is not known nor anyone at police station is able to share.

When Memory of Politics Turns Into Politics of Memory: The Sujay Gupta Case

Today May 28, 2023 I received certificate of participation in Konkani literature competition organised by Herald Konkani Daiz editors Vincy Quadros and Fr. Myron Jeson Barreto. I had submitted a Poem in Konkani. I received my certificate from the hands of Herald Chief Editor Sujay Gupta in the presence of former Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro.

I met Sujay Gupta for the first time after all the turbulence from June 2008 onwards. Sujay and I were both part of that turbulence (but on opposite sides) triggered by mining greed wanting to silence voices articulating dissent at www.mandgoa.blogspot.in. This piece of writing is motivated by my meeting with Sujay Gupta at the award ceremony at Fernandes House near International Centre, Dona Paula.

When questioned Sujay Gupta was in denial mode on controversial role he played between June 2008 right up to middle of 2009 in repressing opposition to mining in Goa in his capacity as Vice-President (Communications) of Sociedade de Fomentos. He has gone on such drastic denial overdrive that he even denies his even presence in Goa until late December 2008.

When I reminded him about certain facts he claims that he doesn't remember. Yet he remembers that I am associated with GAKUVED whose blog he targeted with defamation suit at Calcutta High Court for 500 crore rupees. But that was last thing he did as corporate shotgun before moving to start Goan, newspaper of the Fomentos which he remembers, admits, regrets as mistake of his life and all this because there is his name - on records. And if the records were not put out in public domain he would have denied that too. All the mercenary work that he did for mining industry without leaving trace of his name he denied to me! It is precisely because of his denials today to several facts an effort is warranted to bring all the facts on record here so that history is not presented in distorted manner. In this  situation my life is a document of history.

Sujay Gupta took over as an Editor of English newspaper in Goa named Gomantak Times that has ownership history with Chowgules in Goa and Sakal group in Maharashtra. Sujay Gupta's enterprising policies added dynamism that was visible in public domain that time around 2006 or 2007 onwards. He established reputation for himself and was soon popular. It has to be checked in archives as to when he took over as an editor of Gomantak Times and when did he leave. Any of you'll can do this and post it as comment below.

The first encounter

My first encounter with Sujay Gupta was on telephone call he made to me on June 05, 2008. That day GAKUVED had organised World Environment Day Program at Don Bosco Farm house premises in Sulcorna, South Goa. I was traveling to the venue in Car with Dr. Claude Alvares. I answered his call thinking that he is speaking to me in his capacity as Journalist. He asked me if village people and others from all over Goa are going to attack the Mines directly on June 05, 2008. I replied him negatively. Then he questioned me whether I know CPI-ML. I said yes I know and Kavita Krishnan is good friend of mine. At that moment I did not find anything suspicious in his questions and I answered them as matter of fact. He did not come for the program nor published my interview anywhere but he channeled information he got from me to some strategy team operating clandestine to suppress dissent against mining. Program was good and even Architect Kamalakant Sadhale was present with large number of local people. At later reflections I realized that Sujay Gupta had read my interview with Rajaram CPI-ML General Secretary, Jharkhand on openspaceforum blog. This information was passed on to Manohar Parrikar who shared it at the Public Hearing of Legislature sub-committee of Home Ministry tagging me as Naxalite on June 19, 2008.

The second encounter

I received phone call at 9.30 pm on June 19, 2008 from Derek Almeida, Editor of Gomantak Times informing me that I have been accused of being Naxalite by the Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar. He said none of the journalists knew me and were surprised to know about my alleged Naxalite activities in mining belt. Derek informed me that he finally received my contact number from Dr. Claude Alvares. Derek requested me to meet him and his colleagues at Gomantak Times next day.

Next day was June 20, 2008. I picked up the copy of Gomantak Times and found my photograph printed on front page with a story headlined "Parrikar targets anti-mining activist". I read through story found something strange with my photo on front page. Photo was doctored and fangs were inserted in my mouth. I visited Gomantak Times office and met Editor Derek Almeida. First thing I brought to his attention about my photo on front page thst shows fangs in my mouth. I opened my mouth and let him do check up to find out the fangs. He couldn't find any. He then disclosed to me that it was Sujay Gupta who had shared that picture with all media offices. He told me that Sujay Gupta was earlier with Gomantak Times but recently has joined Fomento mining company. I wasn't aware of recent change in his status of employment and I had shared information in good faith under the impression that he was still a journalist. It was a betrayal of trust. Derek further had informed me that Sujay had emailed my pictures seated with students from Nirmala Niketan College of Social Work in Mumbai misrepresenting them as naxalites from Jharkhand. Later when Sujay came to know about the identity of these four students he wrote to the Principal of the college and protested their students visit to mining sites in Goa.

Derek then requested his Chief reporter at Gomantak Times Vithaldas Hegde to interview me. Hegde interviewed me for five hours non-stop but made sure he published not even five sentences from that interview. Interview was totally blacked out. Few years later when I questioned Hegde about it he told me that he lost his notepad! Currently Hegde is Chief Reported at Herald where Sujay Gupta is Editor. You can draw your own inferences. I have stated facts.

On June 21, 2008 at 3.00 pm Pravin Sabnis called press conference in which I was called to face the media at Tourist hostel in Panjim. Several media reprentatives were present for this press conference and amongst them was Sujay Gupta. Several media personnel questioned me and I answered them. I remember question asked by Sujay Gupta: Where was I working in New Delhi. I answered him that I worked at CACIM at A-3, Defence Colony. Sujay Gupta scribbled these details on a piece on his notepad.

At around 4.00 pm on the same day of June 21, 2008 there was another press conference organised by Sujay Gupta for Venkatesh Prabhudesai who attempted to tarnish my reputation with baseless allegations. Next day June 22, 2008 reports of both the press conferences were published. On this day it became a public knowledge that Sujay Gupta has joined Fomentos who were running several Mines in Goa with Hiralal Khodidas mining lease being in focus due to documented destruction of agriculture and protests from local people of Colomba.

Third Encounter

On November 12, 2008 locals and others from across Goa marched Hiralal Khodidas mining site. Sujay Gupta was on site on this day supervising lathicharge carried on by company's security agency causing injuries to many including to Gajanan Raikar, then executive committee member of GAKUVED.

Fourth Encounter

Protests against mining industry continued and reached its peak. It is at this moment on December 24, 2008 that Sujay Gupta filed civil defamation suit against me for 500 crore at Calcutta High Court in his official capacity as Vice-President (Communications) of Fomento mining company. It is amongst the highest claimed amounts in India. Petition is listed on Calcutta High Court website but hasn't come up for hearing since September 2009 after three Hearings.

Hostile reception

Sujay Gupta received hostile reception at several places in Goa. He was thrown out from Times of India first anniversary party by late Wendel Rodricks the fashion designer. Writer Hartman de Sousa launched online signature campaign against him with over 1,200 people signing and commenting. Floriano Lobo of Goa Su-Raj Party organised public protest meeting near then Sujay Gupta's residence in Moira village. Venita Coelho has been vocal in her writings against Sujay Gupta due to his alliance with mining industry.

In 2012 Sujay Gupta started off GOAN as weekly for Fomentos, then turned it as daily and then got into Herald. One man who publicly protested  then against Sujay Gupta taking over as Editor of Herald is Anthony D'Silva from Ambelim, Assolna.

Fresh encounter

This is memory of politics outlined here so that politics of memory is firmly grounded as and when it is activated. This piece is prepared after Sujay put himself in denial mode in communications with me today as mentioned above. Next time if Sujay Gupta goes in denial mode this has to be brought to his attention.

In my today's conversations with him I found him not honest. That's the reason for me to be honest and bold. For we are both connected in the opposites. Can Sujay Gupta turn honest too and afford honest conversation? Or will he be forever fugitive to his own deep self? What are those people called when they refuse to be honest and persist in denial? Let Sujay Gupta be the privilege one to answer this at his calling after deep pondering. 

May God Bless Sujay Gupta!


Sebastian Rodrigues