Pitted with scars

an ecological disaster is waiting to unfold in the coastal belt of Saurashtra in Gujarat. Rampant illegal mining of building stone is wreaking havoc on the region's biodiversity. It has also resulted in severe groundwater depletion, apart from impacting the quality of water. Agriculture, too, is a major casualty. What has compounded the crisis is that there are no environmental norms for even legal mining operations involving building stone. Although state government officials are tight-lipped about the matter, an unholy nexus is said to exist between the mining mafia and the powers that be.

Illegal mining is thriving in the entire belt, including areas in Porbandar, Amreli, Surat, Una and Junagadh districts. Most of it is being done on government wastelands, in forests or on private agricultural tracts without obtaining a lease for the purpose. In Porbandar, mining activities are being carried out at 150 sites in just two villages -- Madhavpur and Balej. This area, earlier known as Lili Nahger (green region), is fast turning barren. Local activists allege that more than 70 per cent of these mines are illegal.

The stone mined in the area is in great demand as it is used in the construction, soda ash, chemical and cement industries of Saurashtra. According to the last estimate, made in 1994, eight million tonnes of stone was mined from the district.

Activists have expressed alarm at the extent of the illegal mining activity. Several species of birds and fish have either been wiped out or are on the verge of extinction in the coastal zone of Porbandar, alleges Narottam Palan of Gandhi Prakriti Pariwar, a group of citizens working for environmental protection. "Two decades ago, a medicinal plant called sankhavali was common in the area. But now it has become rare," he points out. Besides, indiscriminate digging in forests has affected the productivity of the land. Once mining at a particular site is over, the pits are never filled for the land to be reclaimed.

Groundwater has borne the brunt of mining activities. It has become salty in the entire district. This is because limestone, which worked as a natural wall and prevented the intrusion of seawater, is being mined indiscriminately. Besides, the water level has also plummeted. Local people reveal that sweet water was available at 60.9 metres 20 years ago. Today they have to dig up to 150 metres to extract the same.

The salty groundwater has also affected agriculture adversely. Farmers are now completely dependent on rains and can produce only one crop in a year. The quality of the soil has deteriorated as well. Karsanbhai Odedara, a farmer of Ratiya village, near Balej laments: "With constant mining, it has become very difficult to live in the village. These khano (mines) have made it impossible to work in the farm. The water level has dipped and its quality has also deteriorated. Some 10 or 15 years ago, we used to grow a variety of crops here like groundnut, cotton, wheat, maize and green vegetables. Today no vegetables are grown. The land has become like a desert."

"The dust particles discharged during mining and salty water are proving to be a deadly cocktail for mine workers," says Monish Sheth, a Madhavpur-based doctor. There is a high incidence of renal diseases, hypertension, fluorosis and respiratory disorders among the labourers, he adds.

But those involved in the illegal mining argue that more than 3,000 labourers earn their livelihood through these activities. One such person justifies the activity on the pretext that there is no other use for the stone. It is, therefore, better to mine them. Otherwise, someone else would do so in the future, he adds.

When Down To Earth sought a response from Porbandar district collector Sheela Benjamin, she refused to comment. Significantly, Benjamin is the sanctioning authority for granting leases for quarries. On being asked whether the administration was even aware about the illegal mining activities, all she said was: "The district geologist would know about it." T J Vaishnav, the geologist in charge of Porbandar, said: "The district administration is well aware of what is happening and is doing just what it ought to." He, however, did not elaborate on the steps being taken.

Vaishnav merely explained that the lease for a quarry is granted under the Mines and Minerals Regulation and Development Act, 1957, on the basis of a report prepared by the district mine supervisor and the executive magistrate. It is granted initially for three years and can be extended by the collector for another two years.

But another collectorate official was more forthcoming. According to him, building stone falls in the category of minor minerals of the state government, and its mining is not considered harmful for the environment. So, granting a lease for a quarry does not require a no-objection certificate from the department of environment. "Leaseholders don't have to follow any environmental norms, as no norm has been prescribed for them," the official said. The lease only incorporates certain conditions like number of layers up to which mining is to be carried out and the number of machines to be used.

Recently, the issue was even raised in the state assembly by Arjun Modhvadia, the Congress legislator from Porbandar. He alleged that the state government was not taking any steps to solve the problem because hefty bribes were being paid at every level, from Porbandar to Gandhinagar. The government did not respond to the allegation till the assembly was adjourned. But Modhvadia has expressed his resolve to raise the matter again in the next assembly session.