The Hindu Business Line : Mining opportunity?

This refers to the article, "Deve Gowda urges Centre to allow mining at Kudremukh" (Business Line, November 21), which talks of the former Prime Minister's intention to allow continuation of mining operations for the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd (KIOCL) at Kudremukh in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. But there are a few things to consider.

For one, Kudremukh receives an average annual rainfall of 7,000 mm.

Open-cast mining in such wet area will cause huge destruction due to heavy silting of rivers. The existing mines are blamed for much of the silting of the Bhadra system though they cover less than six per cent of the catchment

Secondly, over 1,00,000 hectares of agricultural land will be severely affected if mining were to take place.

Mr Deva Gowda says that thousands will lose jobs due to the closing of mining operations post the recent Supreme Court order.

But what about the millions of small farmers whose livelihood will suffer owing to mining and pollution of rivers?

Already the Western Ghats stand much abused by various activities and continuous degradation means that our crucial river sources in the mountain chain will only suffer further degradation and pollution. Mr Deva Gowda also talks of crores worth of contribution that the KIOCL made to the government exchequer and the State. But for how long will we count a nation's health by money alone?

Ramachandran Balachandran

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