The Hindu Business Line : Kudremukh mining

This is with reference to the article, "KIOCL employees keeping their fingers crossed" (Business Line, January 2). It is sad to see KIOCL employees losing their jobs. But the mining activities at the Kudremukh has caused considerable damage to the environment and upset the delicate ecological balance of the region.

Thousands of farmers use the polluted Bhadra river to irrigate lakhs of hectares. Thousands of people depend on the river for their livelihood.

Kudremukh is also one of the important rain-fed regions, and is the source for many streams and rivers — the Tunga and the Bhadra, for instance.

Both, the State and Central Governments should act immediately and rehabilitate the KIOCL employees. Several things can be done.

Rehabilitate the skilled workers in other government departments such as tourism, restoration and the like.

Impart new skills to the workers such as coir weaving, bamboo product manufacturing, forestry, etc.

Provide them with short-term, interest-free loans.

Instead of opening the sordid chapter of pollution all over again, the State and the Centre should adopt measures that would take care of the workers and their families.

Ramachandran Balachandran

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