From drkrishi@SANCHARNET.IN Sun Apr  3 12:58:18 2005
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 18:57:32 +0530
From: Krishna Mohan 
To: nathistory-india@Princeton.EDU
Subject: Kudremukh mining renewal will violate sc order

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Dear Friends,

Here is the report in Indian Express on the attempts of KIOCL to continue
mining and the response of Wildlife First and other conservation
organisations
=========================================================
The New Indian Express, Bangalore                      Wednesday March
9,2005
KUDREMUKH MINING RENEWAL WILL VIOLATE SC ORDER: GREENS
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
 
Bangalore March 8: Environmentalists, who fought mining actively at
Kudremukh region in Chikmagalur district, have warned the Government that
any attempt to renew the mining lease beyond Dec 2005 would be a clear
violation of the Supreme Court order.
 
A memorandum submitted to Chief Secretary K.K. Mishra, the Wildlife
First, noted Kannada literateur K.P. Poornachandra Tejaswi and other
organisation, has requested the Government to reject the plea for
continuation of mining in Kudremukh.
 
The memorandum was submitted in the wake of Kudremukh Iron Ore Company
Limited (KIOCL) holding a meeting with Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh,
requesting the Government to extend some more time to wind up mining
activity.
 
Recalling the earlier decision of the State Government, following a
debate in the Legislative Assembly and Council to wind up mining activity
by Dec 2005, the memorandum stated that the decision was significant
since three major rivers ^Ö Tunga, Bhadra and Netravati originate in the
area.
 
A study permitted by the State Water Resource Minister during 2002 to
document the siltation levels in Bhadra river caused by mining had
revealed that a staggering 2,20,530 metric tonnes of silt entered Bhadra
river during the monsoon of 2002-2003, which is downstream the mining
area.  Analysis of the Government data for 1985 and 1986 revealed that
this small sub-catchment of 6 per cent contributes 53-67 per cent of the
total sediment load entering Bhadra dam, the memorandum noted.
 
"This clearly establishes the huge negative impact of mining in a 7,000
mm rainfall area not just on the rain forests of Kudremukh but on the
entire Bhadra river basin and reservoir which would affect the livelihood
of lakhs of marginal farmers and poor people who are not backed by
organised trade unions but whose welfare the Government has to ensure",
the memorandum pointed out. 
 
In the Supreme Court, the State Government had earlier committed that
mining may be permitted for five years and that too only in the broken up
areas.  Such an extension would carry stringent conditions including a
strong monitoring mechanism and appropriate programmes for reclamation,
pollution control safety of Lakya Dam, eco-restoration etc.
 
The Supreme Court, while rejecting the company's plea to allow mining for
another 20 years, had allowed mining till 2005-end, the memorandum
pointed out.
 
On the demand for 54 hectares for slope stabilisation and 370 hectares of
continued mining, the Supreme Court had observed "it appears that the
company is requesting that they require 54 hectares for slope
stabilisation and safety and another 370 hectares for continued mining.
 
Even if the technical reports which have been generated and paid for by
the company, does point to the necessity of 54 hectares of unopened
forest land for slope stability, it cannot be a valid reason to allow
mineral exploitation since further mining would generate huge amounts of
iron ore tailings (mud) which will again have to be dumped into the
already full Lakya Dam," the memorandum pointed out."
 
"Further we would also like to point out that in view of the
bio-diversity value of Kudremukh area, the State has promised to
implement a voluntary resettlement package for people residing in the
area in order to reduce pressures on forests.
 
Under these circumstances, it would be improper, and also perceived as a
grossly improper move by the world's conservation community, if mining
activities continue in Kudremukh."
================================
Regards
Krishna Mohan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Krishna Mohan,
Prabhu General Hospital,
Moodabidri,Karnataka,India-574227.
Phone:+91-08258-237258
e-mail:   drkrishi@gmail.com
       or drkrishi@yahoo.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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