BY A GT REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 21: Two of the three mining companies operating in Sirigao filed their reply as objection on the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) report that claimed the mining activities were depleting the water table of the village, in the Bombay High Court at Goa.
The division bench comprising Justices S B Deshmukh and U D Salvi has adjourned the matter and posted it four weeks later, to study the mining companies' replies to the NEERI report.
The High Court had in June 2008, appointed NEERI to conduct a survey and determine the consequences of mining activities on water resources and agriculture in Sirigao village. The court also asked the agency to recommend measures to negate the damage to agriculture and water resources, if any.
The NEERI study reported that the water table in the village was depleted and its (village's) topography too altered due to the open cast mining activity.
The environmental degradation according to the report was due to the deepening of mines and loss of recharge area.
“The deepening of the mines has led to the loss of recharge area for the dug wells seated at the foothills of the plateau.
Hence, the water scarcity is attributed to the loss of recharge area and deepening of mines,” the report mentioned.
On studying the groundwater scenario, NEERI said, the situation was terrible in December 2008, with almost all the dug wells in Sirigao dry, while in the neighbouring villages the wells had water in the same month.
The reputed agency also pointed out in its report that highs of the ground water resources were removed because of the open cast mining activity and depressions created in form of mine pits.
It also revealed that mechanized mining had worsened the situation and suggested that the water crisis could be tackled if artificial recharge was done.
“Open cast iron ore mines owned by M/s Rajaram Bandekar (Sirigao) Mines Pvt Ltd, M/s Dempo Mining Corporation Pvt Ltd (now Sesa Goa) and M/s Chowgule & Co Pvt Ltd are having iron ore working mines in and around Sirigao village since 1949, 1951 and 1949 respectively.”
