Published in The Quint on 14th June 2021. https://www.thequint.com/my-report/goa-mining-iron-manganese-environmental-destruction-deforestation-climate-change#read-more

Sustainable mining requires mining industries to respect and appreciate the need and value of biodiversity to the local people living in mining zone and for smooth operation of mines for a longer time. They need to work within the given law.  Mining below the water table can have adverse effects on the availability of water to both the local population and the flora and fauna of the area leading to a decrease in local biodiversity of the area.

Water security of a country is its ability to sustainably provide safe and quality water to its people.  Climate change may by the primary reason for water shortage in India but anthropogenic activities are the root cause for alleviating the scarcity of water.

Climate change is change in climate of a place over a period of time, which may be due to natural reasons or due to human activities. In India, manmade developmental activities are responsible to a large extent for change in climatic conditions which in turn has pressured water availability.

Water is referred to as polluted when it is contaminated with anthropogenic substances which make the water unfit for drinking purpose or water cannot support its biotic communities like plankton or fish.

Goa is a coastal State and faces its own water issues due to climatic extremes like tidal erosion and depression.  However, manmade developmental activities like mining, tourism, mega-housing projects in catchment areas have escalated the water problems of the State with six rives to a water scarcity level.

Mines are in catchment areas and very close to surface water bodies.

Rainfall is erratic as Goa is located on the windward side of the Western Ghats.  The monsoon may be late onset but the amount of rainfall has not gone down.  Still, due to the manmade developmental projects have greatly led to depletion in the groundwater availability.  Hilly midlands in Goa are rich in iron ore and manganese ore.  Mining for the same in Goa had created a havoc on the rich biodiversity of the State.

Development activities have adverse effect on environment fueled by lack of adequate monitoring and control mechanism have severely impacted degradation of land, water and forests.

Mining of iron-ore has created many irreversible environmental issues.  Removal of vegetation, topsoil, wastes of the ore landfilling into mountains of wastes has impacted the environment in many ways.  Deforestation, climatic change, soil erosion, air and water pollution and hence their health hazards are suffered by local population.

We understand that the density and the type of vegetation average impacts the solar heat absorption, rainfall pattern and retention of water.  Deforestation alters the amount of atmospheric greenhouse gases which in turn defines the amount of solar energy retained by the earth.

Forest cover removed for Mining at Pissurlem Village.  Mining sites are created after clearing the tropical forest cover.  These forests have been called as the lungs of the planet Earth. 

Removal of forest cover and excavation of earth for the ore increases the overall temperature and affects the rainfall pattern too in some period of time.  “Destroying the forest cover is changing the weather condition dramatically here in Goa too”, says environmentalist Ramesh Gauns.  

TERI (1998) concluded in its research that mining activities have affected the river water quality.  High turbidity due to discharge of silt particles with worst effected being rivers of Bicholim, Madei and Khardepur.  Deepening of the mines below the ground water level has resulted in loss of recharge area of the wells and springs.  This has adversely affected the ground water availability in many areas.  

Mining below ground water table encourages water from areas around mine into the mining pit leading to flooding and inhibiting mining operation. Pumps pump out this water in the mining pit for mining to continue.  Slowly, the entire ground water table is either lowered or emptied into the mining pit.  Sadly, the wells of the villages near the mines go dry.

NEERI (2009) concluded in its research that deepening of the mine below ground water level and loss of recharge area resulted in drying up of the Shirgao village well

Mining pit at Shirgao village.  The mining activity has shut down and mine abandoned without closing the pit after the Supreme Court Order of 2018.   No reclamation and rehabilitation of mining pit have been followed.  The wells of the Shirgao village are dry and ground water collects in the mine.

This abuse and degeneration of the hydrogeological regime stays unreversed for decades to come.  The mining pits keep accumulating water, the impounded water is sterile and biologically dead.  The water in mining pits is really of no use to the villages even after closure of mines because of the sediment load.

Mining and connected activities have both quantitative and qualitative effects on water regime in the mining pit as well as in areas around the mines.
•    It changes ground water flow patterns
•    Lowering of water table can be seen
•    Long-lasting changes in hydrodynamic conditions of river basins or underground recharging
•    Contamination of water bodies
•    Drying of village wells
•    Reduced agricultural produce due to deteriorating soil quality because of excessive silting.

Water pollution due to mining is due to the effluent discharge from Ore processing plant, mining pit water discharge and mining waste heaps.

An aerial view of Bicholim Mine site.  The mine has completely closed its operations since the Supreme Court Order of 2018.  In the front lies the Ore Separation Plant.  The mining pit is full of water which could be 70 meters deep. The mine was  abandoned without restoration according to Mine Closure Policy 2003. In the image, on the left of the pit lie the mounds of overburden, mining waste.  The entire mining area is 436 hectares.  The wells of Bicholim village have dried up from many years and water bodies are still polluted. As a result Bicholim town and the neighbouring villages are as thirsty as they were while the mines were operational.  

An aerial view of landfill of overburden of Bicholim Mine.  The not so well stabilized Overburden (Mining Waste) is piled at an slope steeper than 30 degrees.  As a result, during monsoon time, the eroded wastes still makes its way at times into water bodies and fields.

An aerial view of Bicholim Mine site.  The mine has completely closed its operations since the Supreme Court Order.  In the image, on the right are the mounds of mining waste. On the left lies the Lamgaon village and their farms waiting for water to be made available for irrigation.  Once famous of cashew nut and betel nut plantations, this area has its fields flooded with silt since the floods of 2000.  Villagers have long lost their livelihood and still await for their compensations and de-siltation of fields.

Another mine abandoned in Pissurlem village after  Supreme Court Order in 2018 for complete closure of mines in Goa.  This mine too was  abandoned without restoration, rehabilitation and reclamation of the land according to Mine Closure Policy 2003.

The acidic discharge from the mining pit (both active and inactive) and mining waste heaps is called acid mine drainage.  Presence of metals is difficult to handle as it is not biodegradable.  Toxic metals leach into water bodies especially during monsoon run-offs from heaps of mining waste.  Iron may cover the stream bottom with an orange-red coloured slime called yellowboy. Like parasites, these metals travel contaminating streams and ground water for large distances.  During monsoons mining rejects finds its way into the rivers increasing the total suspended solids and hence loss of plankton life on estuarine ecology.

 Acid mine drainage is impossible to stop once it begins and can cause indefinite damage to water sources and soil for many years after the mining practice has stopped.  We do not have a technology to stop it.  

Mines not just use land for ore excavation but also for beneficiation plant, waste dumps and tailing ponds.  The iron ore excavated in Goa has an ore to ore burden of 1:3 ratio.  So, for every one tonne of ore three tonnes of ‘reject’ is generated.  With land being expensive, mining wastes are piled up into steep heaps of rejects and can easily be mistaken for mountains. These ‘mounds of reject’ are steep and usually 30-50 meters tall. These wet tailing impoundments, waste rock, leaching from heaps of mining waste contaminate water sources and can have an adverse effect on water quality of both ground water and surface water especially if these facilities are not designed with an impermeable liner.

Monsoons bring more and more water year after year to the steep heaps of mining waste containing mining overburden/waste rocks, limestone, silicon and metals along with silt. On flat terrain as the river slows down the silt carried also gets settled reducing its velocity and overflowing of banks and inundation of low-lying areas by the banks of the river.  According to Ramesh Gauns, a pioneering mining and an environment activist in Goa, the siltation problem has been acute in Khandepar River.  Siltation chokes the water treatment plants too.  Soil erosion and heavy rainfall during monsoons result in siltation of farms and run offs from the overburden waste heaps.  

Anti-Mining activist, Hanumant Parab from Pissurlem who wants to start farming in his village shows the silted soil which has lost its fertility and water holding capacity.  Since the floods of 2000 and heavy siltation of soil the fields have become infertile and fallow.  No cultivation of these lands has been possible since then.

This heavy silting of fields has reduced the water holding capacity of the soil.  This results in flooding of the fields and causing an overflow.  During the beneficiation of the ore silica and limestone wastes are generated.  The fine silica particles fill the spaces in soil and reduce the water soaking capacity of the soil.  Limestone wastes produce a dry coat over the soil and prevent the absorption of nutrients.

For growing paddy, the fields are usually filled with water just before the monsoon to allow the seeds to germinate.  Later this extra water is channeled to the streams.  Now, the fields in the vicinity of mines remain waterlogged and the germinated seeds rot, destroying the paddy crop.  Mining has adversely affected the crop yield and soil fertility of the fields in the mining zone.

Sustainable mining requires mining industries to respect and appreciate the need and value of biodiversity to the local people living in mining zone and for smooth operation of mines for a longer time.  They need to work within the given law.  Mining below the water table can have adverse effects on the availability of water to both the local population and the flora and fauna of the area leading to a decrease in local biodiversity of the area.

Sakaram Pednekar, a farmer from Mayem village who promotes water harvesting in the ancient village lake after its de-siltation says, “De-silt and restore the lake and other water bodies.  Desilt our farms according to the law.  Give us our livelihood back.  We have no problem if mines work in accordance to the law but first restoration of the damage done must be fulfilled.”

After the Supreme Court order, mining in Goa completely shut down in February 2018.  But restoration of the mines according to Mine Closure Policy, 2003 has not been followed and mining companies abandoned the mining pits without taking the responsibility to return the affected area nearly in its original form such that it doesn’t become a burden to the society after the mining operation is over.  It should aim to create a self-sustained ecosystem.  Complete restoration of the mines and mining land hasn’t taken place yet and the mining pits are still open and sucking water from the ground water, perennial springs and rivers.  The springs and village wells had gone dry during mining and still remain dry.  Each mine has enough water to feed the entire village but this water is loaded with metals and toxins making it unfit for use.

This used to be a fresh water lake which supplied  of water to the village of Pissurlem in Goa.  It was fed by a perineal natural spring.  The spring dried up two decades ago as the flow of water was cut off by the mining activity.  Also, as the mining activity continued below the ground water level, all wells and springs dried up.  The lake can be seen contaminated with mining waste, mining silt and weeds.  The villagers demand the lake to be de-silted and returned to its original self as a part of closure of mine.

Dried up fresh water spring at Pissurlem village.  Mining stopped the flow of water into this spring like many other springs

An aerial view of the Deulem mining pit at Pissurlem.  This mining pit is approximately 100 meters deep.  Deulem mining pit at Pissurlem village closed its operations in year 2007. The mine was  abandoned after the mining operation was over.  Rehabilitation, reclamation and land restoration of the mining pit according to Mine Closure Policy 2003 is still pending.  Meanwhile, villagers of Pissurlem try and find solutions to the grave water crisis they live in everyday.  

An aerial view of Gulliem & Gaval mine at Pissurlem village, an abandoned young iron ore mines in the deforested Sahayadris after the Supreme Court Order for complete shutdown of mining in Goa in March 2018.  No mine in this village have been restored as provided in Mine Closure Policy 2003.  We can see in the image Mother Nature claiming back what belongs to her.  The green cover (mostly weeds) is returning wherever possible and the bleeding red of soils in Goa has finally come to a halt.  Also, in the rear we see Deulem mining pit filled with water in water scarce village of Pissurlem.  The mining pit can easily be mistaken for a large lake from a distance.

An aerial view of Bicholim Mine site.  The mine has completely closed its operations since the Supreme Court Order in 2018.  This mine was  abandoned without restoration according to Mine Closure Policy 2003. Manmade mounds of stabilized mining overburden have replaced the Goan Sahayadris which at times ‘overburdens’ the low lying nearby areas during monsoons.  In the image, we see a section of the mining pit filled with sterile water.  This water could have been used for drinking and irrigation purposes if it were still available as ground water to the villages.

“In Shirgaon 76 wells have gone dry and in Pissurlem village 80 wells have dried up.  Hundreds of springs have gone dry in the mining belt.  Fertile paddy fields have turned into a wasteland due to siltation and overburden runoffs.  Classic example of Pissurlem village, where 90 acres of paddy fields lie as fallow lands.  There has been no cultivation possible here for more than 15 years”, says Goa’s pioneering anti-mining activist, Ramesh Gauns.

The fields are green with the kharif crop at Shirgao village.  The village of Shirgao won a court case at the Bombay High Court after 12 long years.  The Bombay High Court  directed the District Mineral Foundation, Vedanta, Chowgule and Bandekar (mining companies) to pay a sum of 40 million Indian Rupees for restoring the fields.  The fields were de-silted and restored after removing the rejects after the Court Order.  Also, the drainage network was de-silted using heavy machinery.  This has given hope to the other villages fighting for the same cause.  In the image, on the left green pastures of the kharif crop growing, the de-silted and restored channels of the river lined with an array of green coconut trees. The closed mine at Shirgao in the background with its still open mining pit collecting precious groundwater is a reminder of the past.

An aerial view of the Shirgoa village.  In the image, green pastures of the kharif crop growing can be seen, the de-silted and restored channels of the river lined with an array of green coconut trees provides water to the fields. The closed mine at Shirgao with its still open mining pit collecting precious groundwater is a reminder of the past.  The old temple built on the edge of the mining pit no longer witnesses the ore loaded trucks going up and down the roads. The village of Shirgao won a court case at the Bombay High Court after 12 long years.  The Bombay High Court  directed the District Mineral Foundation, Vedanta, Chowgule and Bandekar (mining companies) to pay a sum of 40 million Indian Rupees for restoring the fields.  The fields were de-silted and restored after removing the rejects after the Court Order.  Also, the drainage network was de-silted using heavy machinery.  This has given hope to the other villages fighting for the same cause.  

Goa’s Pioneering environmental activist explaining sustainable and responsible mining.  A Primary School teacher who started the movement against the lobby of mining companies in 2003.  He is rightly called the ‘Green Crusader’ of Goa.

“Where ever there is a Mine, there is Destruction.  Deforestation and open pit mining are going to boost and expedite the Climate Change in Goa”, Gauns shared his concern.

A scene of National waterways of Mandovi river at Amona bridge.  Mad rush of the barges carrying iron ore to the docks as iron ore seeks an all-time high price in international markets.  This increase in riverine ore barge traffic and ore-loading points along with movement of barges to and fro the coastal waters affects the coastal fisheries, increases the oil pollution in these waters and breaks the ancient system of estuarine khazan land bunds.

https://www.thequint.com/my-report/goa-mining-iron-manganese-environmental-destruction-deforestation-climate-change#read-more

Photographs and Text By

Payal Kakkar

(Fine Arts Photographer)

Masters Environment Protection

I am a self-taught fine arts photographer with a keen interest in the environment.  I have worked for many years in the field of sewage and garbage management.  My work is slowly evolved and well researched.  My photographs are highly detailed and lyrical in quality.  Aerial  photography has empowered me with a unique perspective to document the colossal impact that humans have on fragile freshwater ecosystem.  With this photo essay I wish to draw a sense of duty towards protection and conservation.