Mining – India
1. Protestors vow to fight against Posco, Vedant
2. Cave-in at illegal mine injures 12 labourers
3. Coal India may acquire assets of Rio Tinto
4. Orissa Public Accounts Committee team to visit mining areas
5. Patnaik government faces illegal mining storm again
6. Top of Form
7. Dempo mines 'stop work' issue to be resolved soon: Sesa Goa
Mining – International
8. No boon from mines: survey
9. China's Mine Explosions 8
10. The recent rise in mining disasters is taking a toll on social stability.
11. Guinea says to audit at least three mining firms
12. B.C. considers proposal for coal mine 11
13. Laborer community up in arms against illegal mining in North Kashmir
14. 80 NGOs call RP’s mining policy ‘erroneous’
Other News
15. Electronic NREGA in 60 days
16. Courts eye on NREGS
17. Reserved for failure
18. Left cries foul over ministry's move on Forest Rights Act
19. Occupied forest belt offered for project
Mining – India
Protestors vow to fight against Posco, Vedant
Express News Service
First Published : 11 Sep 2009 04:13:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 11 Sep 2009 09:42:42 AM IST
PARADIP: Empowered by public support, the anti-land acquisition leaders have strongly protested both Posco steel project in Paradip and Vedant University in Puri and vowed to intensify stir at the national level here today.
After the release of anti-Posco leader Abhay Sahoo, Posco Pratirodha Sangram Samiti organised a meeting to protest Posco steel project. The meeting was attened by anti-land acquisition leaders from different parts of the state as well as country participated and showed confidence on Sahoo to lead the movement.
Addressing a gathering, All India Bistapan Virodhi leader B.D. Sharma strongly criticised the State Government for selling minerals and water to the industries
at the cost of farming community. He has exhorted people to unite against the anti-people and anti-state policies of the government. Anti-land acquisition leaders vowed to fight against Posco steel project with the cooperation of the villagers.
They also took a dig at the Special Economic Zone policy and dubbed all those who spoke in favour of it as anti-nationals.
The plans of the Posco company to start plant work from next year would fall flat as the villagers are determined to debar the entry of officials to project site, the leaders said.
Local MP Bibhuprasad Tarai, former CPI MLA Narayan Reddy, Chatrapur MLA Adikanda Sethy and other CPI leaders were present besides the president of Puri Vedant Birodi Sangharsa Samiti Benudhar Pradhan, Sambalpur Chasi Andolan leader Lingaraj, anti-land acquisition leader Praffula Samantray and Dhinkia sarpanch Sisir Mohapatra attended the meeting.
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Protestors+vow+to+fight+against+Posco,+Vedant&artid=1HqLoA8fmrY=&Section
Cave-in at illegal mine injures 12 labourers
TNN 10 September 2009, 11:31pm IST
KEONJHAR: Over a dozen labourers were injured by a cave in at an illegal mine in Keonjhar's Thakurani reserve forest area. The incident on
Wednesday has once again exposed the rampant pilferage of ores in the district.
Police said they were still to ascertain the exact number of people inside the mine during the mishap on Wednesday. "The mine was being operated by the ore mafia. We have sent a police team to find out if any body was killed or is still buried under the debris," SP (Keonjhar) Asit Kumar Panigrahi said.
Police suspect that the racketeers must have carried the injured into Jharkhand and got them admitted to hospitals in the neighbouring state. The incident has once again exposed the rampant looting of precious ores from the Thakurani Hill area on the Orissa-Jharkhand border. The area is famous for high deposits of minerals and covered with dense forest, making it easy for racketeers to slip into Jharkhand.
Officials on condition of anonymity admitted that the area, particularly Tankura, was infested with mineral smugglers, who have ferreted away ores worth hundreds of crores in the past few years.
"Every one in the administration, including key civil and police officials in the district, are aware of what is going on in the area. But they turn a blind eye because the mafia keep filling their pockets regularly," an official alleged. "Everyday, more than a thousand labourers are brought to the area for mining minerals. The ore is then transported by hundreds of trucks to Jharkhand," he added.
Deputy director of mines P C Patra, however, claimed: "We conduct raids whenever we receive a complaint. We have also seized large amount of illegally mined ores during the raids." Patra was recently put in charge after his predecessor was arrested for his alleged involvement in the mining scam.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/bhubaneswar/Cave-in-at-illegal-mine-injures-12-labourers/articleshow/4996487.cms
Coal India may acquire assets of Rio Tinto
Udit Prasanna Mukherji, TNN 11 September 2009, 12:42am IST
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KOLKATA: Coal India’s plan to acquire overseas mining assets is gathering steam. After a breakthrough in Mozambique, the coal behemoth has
received offers to buy properties of mining giants Rio Tinto and Hancock in Australia.
Sources close to the development said Rio Tinto and Hancock are considering selling stakes in some thermal coal assets to Coal India. Hancock and Rio are understood to be among a number of Australian miners that have submitted expressions of interest to sell stakes in mines and projects to CIL.
CIL officials refused to divulge details citing confidentiality issues. “We have had a good response from Australia — better than what we had expected,” an official said. Incidentally, CIL has been made a total of 54 offers for acquiring mining assets in Australia, United States, Indonesia and South Africa.
“A team led by coal minister Shriprakash Jaiswal and CIL chairman & MD Partha S Bhattacharyya, along with Coal Videsh officials, was in Australia last week to look for mining assets,” sources said. CIL is setting up an expert committee to evaluate offers for overseas assets, they added.
“There will be a seven-member committee comprising Coal Videsh and other officials. It will be formed in the next 2-3 days. It will submit the report by March. It is not very easy to identify 7-8 mines from 54 offers,” sources said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/business/india-business/Coal-India-may-acquire-assets-of-Rio-Tinto/articleshow/4996840.cms
Orissa Public Accounts Committee team to visit mining areas
By our Correspondent
Last updated: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:02:33 GMT
Text Font Size: S- / S+
BHUBANESWAR ( Orissa ) : In a bid to get a first hand report on illegal mining and alleged mining scam, a team of Public Accounts Committee of the Orissa State Assembly, would soon visit several mining areas to look into the activities of various mining firms.
The PAC, which met here on Thursday, sought strong action against officials manning the Steel and Mines Department. PAC Chairman and Leader of Opposition, Bhupinder Singh said in a statement that the State has lost a huge amount in terms royalty and other economic benefits due to some erring officials.
Singh, who chaired the meeting, however alleged that 20 private and few Public sector units engaged in mining and other sector, have not paid their due to the State Government while officials helping them in this regard, as a result of which, the State has lost a huge revenue.
The PAC committee would visit several mining areas to take stoke of the ground realities very soon. Singh said that several mining firms not only illegally mining but also violating various environmental norms but officials helping them as corruption on rise, he said.
The Government must act tough against these two companies, he demanded. The activities of various mines companies should also be probed and action should also be taken against them, he added.
Singh also asked the State Government to take strong action against NV Ram Mines and KN Ram Mines for its illegal mining in Sundargarh and Keonjhar district.
Singh said that the mines company not only illegally mining but also violating various environmental norms.
The Government must act tough against these two companies, which is reportedly been run by one Dilip Atha. Singh alleged that some ruling BJD Ministers and MLAs helping these two mining firms.
The activities of various mines companies including Bhusan Steel, Deepak Steel, Kusum Power Limited, Sumreet Metalic, MGM Steels Limited , reviewed at the Public Accounts Committee held here on Thursday, Singh added.
Thousands of trucks and transport vehicles of NV Ram Mines and KN Ram Mines, even illegally blocking several major roads in Sundargarh district and looted iron ore worth crores of rupees, the Opposition leader said.
Mines firms like Birla, S Pradhan Mines, Khetan Narberam and Co, KJST, Tisco, Rungta Mines of SR Rungta group, MESCO and Jindal have looted mineral wealth amounting crores in several areas of the State including Sundargarh, Angul, Koenjhar, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur districts.
He also alleged that State Mines Department Secretary shielding all these companies. The Government must overhaul the Department, he added.
http://www.odishatoday.com/orissa_2/Pac_Orissa_100909-98546231548754215234.html
Patnaik government faces illegal mining storm again
Press Trust of India / Bhubaneswar September 11, 2009, 12:03 IST
Five years after the Naveen Patnaik government was embarassed by the controversy over chromite mining at Tangarpada in Orissa's Dhenkanal district, the government is now being pressured by opposition parties to order a CBI probe into 'illegal' mining and mines lease to industrial houses and individuals.
The BJP raised the issue of alleged illegal mining activities in Keonjhar during the recently-concluded assembly session and later the Congress also joined the issue, demanding a CBI probe.
The state Congress leaders even approached the Centre demanding the Union Mines Ministry's intervention into the alleged multi-crore scam in Orissa.
''A central team is likely to visit Orissa to verify the nature of mining activities and their legal position," OPCC president K P Singhdeo said.
The opposition demand for a CBI probe gained momentum after vigilance director Anup Patnaik admitted that manganese and iron ore worth over Rs 100 crore had been smuggled out of Rudekela and Katasahi mines leased out to RBTL in Keonjhar district.
The state government on its part rejected the opposition demand for CBI probe into the allegation and instead ordered a vigilance inquiry.
But the BJP legislature party leader, K V Singhdeo, questioned the decision, wondering how the state vigilance can probe allegations against the chief minister who is also the home minister.
In 2004, the state government's decision to take Jindal as its partner after rejecting others for exploration of chromite mines at Tangarpada was set aside by the Orissa High Court, prompting the opposition parties to point fingers at Patnaik.
"If exemption is granted to Jindal Strips for 20 years in respect of sales tax, central sales tax, entry tax alone as demanded by them, Central and State governments will lose revenue to the extent of Rs 20,000 crore over a period of 20 years," a division bench comprising the then Chief Justice Surjeet Barman Ray and Justice A S Naidu had said in the verdict.
Meanwhile, eight persons, including seven government officials, were arrested and jailed for their alleged involvement in the mining scam.
The vigilance wing, which launched probe into alleged illegal mining in two mines of RBTL in July, this year, extended its investigation into two other mines as more allegations came to the light during the period.
Two more mines were leased out to Arjun Lada company and one to B D Patnaik, vigilance sources said adding that the investigation into the illegal mining activities including explorations in dense forests were yet to be completed.
During its three terms, the Naveen Patnaik government had also faced controversies over mines lease for the South Korean steel major POSCO and Anil Agarwal-owned Vedanta.
Though the state government had recommended POSCO's name for prospecting licence over Khandadhar iron ore mines in Sundargarh district, the matter had gone to Orissa High Court.
The public sector Kudremukh Iron Ore Limited (KIOL) moved the High Court opposing the decision.
This apart, the locals and the political parties, mainly BJP, were opposed to mining activities at Khandadhar which was one of the unique tourist destinations in the state.
The decision to start bauxite mining on Niyamgiri hills along with Vedanta, had also raised controversies.
The local Dangoria Kondh tribes have taken up the issue in the international forum as Niyamgiri was the source of their livelihood and a unique bio-diversity region.
The government, however, remained non-committal all along on starting mining of Niyamgiri to feed Vedanta's alumina refinery at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/patnaik-government-faces-illegal-mining-storm-again/73198/on
Top of Form
Dempo mines 'stop work' issue to be resolved soon: Sesa Goa
Published on Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 09:45 , Updated at Fri, Sep 11, 2009 at 13:48
Source : CNBC-TV18
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Sesa Goa obtained a stay on the 'stop work' order from the administrative tribunal for its Codli mine in south Goa. Three mining concerns operated by Dempo Group of companies (now a part of Sesa Goa) among others have also approached the tribunal for a stay on the Goa State Pollution Control Board's (GSPCB) order. The GSPCB issued 'stop work' orders to mines who were extracting ore without requisite permissions from the forest and wildlife departments.
Commenting on the development, PK Mukherjee, MD, Sesa Goa said that it was only a matter of time before its Dempo mines issues were resolved, adding that the matter related to the interpretation of law.
Here is a verbatim transcript of the exclusive interview with PK Mukherjee on CNBC-TV18. Also watch the accompanying video.
Q: You have got stop order on your Codli mine but some of your Dempo assets, does the ‘stop work’ order still remain, how are you working around this situation?
A: Yes we got a ‘stop work’ notice on the Dempo assets in South Goa, which are small mines at the moment. We are currently not working in the mines due to monsoon but it is only a matter of time. We are on the right side of the law. It is basically some procedural papers which have been asked from different government authorities, which is a matter of time.
Q: The allegation though seems to be that ore was extracted without requisite permissions from the forest and Wildlife Department- what has Sesa Goa’s response been to that?
A: It is a question of whether we are outside the limit or within limits and the State Government has already given an affidavit in the Supreme Court about their limit within the Wildlife Sanctuary and we are outside of that. So it is a matter of interpretation of rules and we have already given our submission against that and that is the same way we are going to the court and courts are listening to that. So as I say these are matter of procedures and time.
Q: Just one side issue, on increase in royalty in iron ore, have you worked out how much your earnings will be impacted because of that recent hike in royalties?
A: It is directly linked to the price and prices are very volatile as you are seeing and in the course of the last one month price have as come down by 20-30%. This can impact royalty by about 8-10 times.
Q: Where are spot iron ore prices at this point and roughly at the back of envelop what would that mean in terms of an impact that you would have to pay by way of royalty?
A: Goa’s reference grade of 58% will be in mid 40’s. So it’s a matter of mix, of how much we sell from Goa, how much we sell from Orissa, and how much we sell from Karnataka. Based on our mix, as we see this year forward, the total outgo on royalty in Goa would be 8-10 times under this new regime of royalty as compared to the previous regime of royalty.
http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/dempo-mines-39stop-work39-issue-to-be-resolved-soon-sesa-goa_415095.html
Mining – International
No boon from mines: survey
FRIDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER 2009 15:02 NGUON SOVAN
Indigenous residents of two small eastern villages have only slightly benefited from recent mining activity, while the work of foreign-owned companies potentially threatens their livelihoods, according to development watchdogs.
Only a handful of 71 ethnic Bunong families surveyed in Mondulkiri province's Gati and Pou Rapeth villages directly benefited from the mining operations, according to a survey by the Cooperation Committee for Cambodia.
"In both villages, only a few of the indigenous people have been employed by the mining companies," Chen Sochoeun, a researcher with the NGO, said Thursday at a Phnom Penh forum examining development in Cambodia. "Similarly, few indigenous villagers were involved in work to support the mining activities, such as selling food and other goods to the miners."
The forest-dependent villagers identified major impacts including the destruction of resin trees and negative effects on hunting and fishing.
"The mining activities in the two villages pose a potential threat to Bunong livelihoods largely reliant on natural resources," Chen Sochoeun said, adding that the villagers never consented to the mining operations.
Chinese-owned Hai Lan Mineral Company and Vietnamese-owned Gold Metal have been operating in Gati and Pou Rapeth, respectively, since 2006.
A government official acknowledged Thursday that the villagers were not consulted before the mining companies moved in, but Kong Piseth, director of the Industry, Mines and Energy Department in Mondulkiri, insists the villagers will eventually benefit from the mining.
"All of the companies are exploring for minerals, not in the stage of mining, so they do not need many labourers yet," Kong Piseth said. "I believe that it will directly and indirectly benefit local resident when those companies begin mining."
Kong Piseth said there were roughly 13 companies exploring in the province. The Post was unable to contact representatives of the mining companies involved for comment.
The NGO Refugees International has identified the Bunong, who number some 30,000 people in the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam border highlands, as a threatened group whose traditions are "under siege".
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009091128331/National-news/no-boon-from-mines-survey.html
China's Mine Explosions
Vivian Wai-yin Kwok, 09.10.09, 06:10 PM EDT
The recent rise in mining disasters is taking a toll on social stability.
HONG KONG -- Two deadly mine accidents recently occurring within 24 hours of each other in China's Henan province have taken 56 lives so far and put 13 local officials and mine owners under investigation. The death toll is expected to rise as hope to rescue the 36 workers trapped in the coal mine is turning dim.
The tragedy has brought a direct challenge to the central government in Beijing as recent rising demand for metals and coal in China has raised the number of mine accidents and casualties, which in turn has elevated social discontent with local officials who have backed illegal mine operations under the protection of the government.
The first mine accident took place early Tuesday morning at Xinhua No. 4 pit in Pingdingshan, a coal city in central Henan province. There were 93 people working in the pit when gas blasted the mine, which was supposed to be in a production halt. Besides the 14 lucky ones who managed to escape, 79 others were trapped in the gas-filled mine. A rescue team organized by the central government has taken 43 dead bodies out of the mine as of Thursday morning, with the remaining 36 miners still trapped underground, according to China Daily. It is unlikely the trapped workers will survive the high levels of carbon monoxide. Further complicating the relief mission, the missing 36 workers were in four different extended zones, a member of the rescue team told China Daily.
About 18 hours after the Pingdingshan explosion, a fire broke out Tuesday night at an underground gold mine in Sanmenxia city, also in Henan Province. Apparently triggered by severed electric wires, the fire killed six of the 12 miners while the other half fled above the ground. Seven out of the eight rescuers sent down to the underground mine were trapped in the fire and lost their lives, Xinhua reported.
The accidents struck a nerve in China's top leaders in Zhonghanhai. Vice-Premier Zhang Dejiang dashed to Pingdingshan immediately on Tuesday with a team of central government officials and investigators dispatched by the Supreme People's Procuratorate.
The Pingdinshan accident was a typical example of how local officials opened the gate for mine owners for illegal explorations. The Xinhua coal pit No. 4 was ordered to stop operations last year amid a government campaign to reform and improve the safety standard of small coal mines. On paper, the state-owned-turned-private coal mine was only allowed to send five workers inside the pit to renovate the ventilation and drainage system, with the supervision of three officials from a local watchdog group. The mining company was not allowed to conduct any production during the renovation period without government permission. However, 93 workers were in the mine during the gas explosion. A large amount of raw coal was also found piled up around the mine after the accident.
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The illegal operation of the Xinhua coal pit No. 4 exposed the "almost open" fact that local officials either failed to monitor the problematic coal mines or they had protected and allowed the underground production in return for material benefits.
As a result of the explosion, a total of 13 mine executives and district officials were arrested or sacked, the Henan provincial government announced Wednesday night. On the arrest list: owner and legal representative of Xinhua Mine, Li Xinjun, his deputy Hou Min and Deng Qun, are in criminal custody. Qi Tongyan, deputy head of Xinhua District of Pingdingshan City, and Zhang Xizhi, a coal industry administration official of the city, were dismissed from their posts immediately, Xinhua said.
For the gold mine fire, Hou Lejian, deputy mayor of Lingbao City in Sanmenxia and some of his colleagues had their posts suspended. Three mine managers of Jinyuan Mining Co. were also questioned by the Police.
Beijing hopes the high-profile arrests could cool down the anger among the general public. Nevertheless, discontent is building up as local media discovered local officials had indeed covered up another four deadly mine accidents in Pingdinshan in the past eight months.
Titled "Who Opened The Protection Umbrella For Xinhua Coal Pit 4?" an anonymous blogger revealed the names, identity card numbers and addresses of the deceased among the previous four secret mine accidents for reporters to verify. The blogger also leaked that the families of each dead worker had been compensated in order to make them shut up.
Even though the central government is determined to crack down on illegal coal mines that have substandard safety measures, the "underground" mining keeps going on all across the country.
Coal and other mining stocks in Shanghai surged in reaction to the tragedies as investors expected higher prices for both coking and raw coals in the next few months, a result of all the 157 coal mines in Pingdinshan area--and all other small coal mines with annual capacity under 300,000 metric tons in Henan province--being shut down to avoid further tragedy.
According to a report by China Everbright Securities, the total production capacity of the 157 coal mines in Pingdinshan was estimated at 15 million metric tons a year; the shutdown will reduce the monthly supply of raw coal by 1.3 million metric tons and coking coal by 700,000 metric tons.
China Everbright's analyst told China Business News that total domestic supply of coking coal in China will be reduced by more than 3 million metric tons in the next three months, about 5% of global consumption capacity.
The local brokerage estimated that local coking coal price to rise by 80 to 100 yuan ($11 to $14) by the end of this year from the present level of 1,200 yuan ($176) a ton, China Business News added.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/10/china-mine-accidents-markets-commodities-coal.html
Guinea says to audit at least three mining firms
Thu Sep 10, 2009 2:58pm EDT
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* Military government says more firms may be audited
* Sale of Friguia to RUSAL canceled (Adds AngloGold Ashanti comment, RUSAL cancellation)
By Saliou Samb
CONAKRY, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Guinea, the world's biggest bauxite exporter and a source of gold and iron ore, will audit at least three of the foreign mining firms working there, its government said late on Wednesday.
The government has set up an audit committee to look into the Guinean operations of Russian metals firm UC RUSAL, world No. 3 gold miner AngloGold Ashanti (ANGJ.J), and Norwegian firm Kenor, Ousmane Kaba, vice president of the committee, said on state television.
"We will do this to find out what has really happened," Kaba said, speaking in the presence of Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, whose junta took power in the West African state last December.
"The list is not exhaustive. We can increase it if necessary," he added.
AngloGold Ashanti said it believed Wednesday's broadcast referred to an announcement made by Camara soon after he came to power that he would establish an audit committee.
"This is something we have been working with and talking to the government about since then," said company spokesman Alan Fine. "As far as we can tell this is nothing new.
"We see it as that the government wants to reassure itself as a new government that accounting practices and so on were being carried out accordingly," Fine said, adding that there had been no impact on AngloGold Ashanti's operations, nor was one expected.
Camara's administration began by taking an aggressive stance against mining firms, and though this appeared to have softened later in the year, recent events indicate he may be changing tack again.
Late on Thursday, lawyers for the Guinean government said a court of first instance had canceled the 2006 sale of Friguia to RUSAL [ID:nLA318137].
"Friguia was sold for $22 million, but when taking into account the price of alumina at the moment of transfer, its value is estimated at between $250 million and $1 billion, depending on the method of calculation used," Habib Hann, another member of the audit committee, said in Wednesday's broadcast.
Among other foreign resources firms working in Guinea are Rio Tinto (RIO.L)(RIO.AX), which disputes the previous government's decision to give a section of its Simandou iron ore concession, potentially one of the world's biggest such mines, to BSGR, a firm which has no history of producing iron ore. (Writing by Daniel Magnowski in Dakar; Additional reporting by Dan Magnowski and Agnieszka Flak in Johannesburg; Editing by William Hardy and Christian Wiessner)
http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSLA32982120090910
B.C. considers proposal for coal mine
If approved, the Raven site would be the first new coal mine on Vancouver Island since 1987
•
WENDY STUECK
VANCOUVER — From Friday's Globe and MailLast updated on Friday, Sep. 11, 2009 03:14AM EDT
The provincial government is weighing a proposal for an underground coal mine on Vancouver Island.
If approved, the Raven site would be the first new coal mine on Vancouver Island since 1987, when digging began at the Quinsam mine near Campbell River.
The project would also forge another link between Asian steel producers and British Columbia's coal resources, which are generating international interest even in a global financial crisis.
More than half of B.C. coal exports last year went to Japan and South Korea. In the Raven project, Vancouver-based Compliance Energy Corp. set up a joint venture with Itochu Corp. of Japan and LG International Corp. of South Korea, which together hold a 40-per-cent stake in the partnership.
Compliance expects its Asian partners to bring financial and strategic resources to the table.
"The financing is an appeal," Compliance chief executive officer John Tapics said. "But it's more important that both of these companies are trading companies and have access to international coal markets. And they know coal, as a commodity, quite well."
The Raven mine, expected to cost between $100-million and $150-million to build, would produce primarily metallurgical, or coking, coal for making steel.
According to a project description filed with the province, steel mills in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan would be the main customers for the mine's coking coal. Lower-value thermal coal would go to Asian customers and cement manufacturers in Canada and Washington State.
That means little or no output from the proposed mine would be destined for coal-fired electricity plants. But the Raven proposal still irks those who see a glaring contradiction between the provincial government's green agenda and its support of a resurgent coal sector.
"It is completely inconsistent," said Andrew Weaver, a professor with the University of Victoria's School of Earth and Ocean Sciences. Coal accounts for more greenhouse-gas emissions per unit of energy produced than any other fuel source, he added.
"B.C. essentially sends off a product that produces emissions elsewhere. But it's a dirty product and B.C. gets no penalty. It's like saying, 'I don't have any garbage in my neighbourhood,' but you take all your garbage and dump it in your next-door neighbour's yard."
There is no such contradiction, said Randy Hawes, Minister of State for Mining in B.C.
Coking coal from the Raven project, like output from nearly all of B.C.'s coal mines, would be used to make steel, not for generating electricity, he emphasized. And that steel is an essential ingredient in "green" technology ranging from hybrid cars to wind turbines.
(B.C. essentially ruled out coal-fired electricity in its own backyard with its 2006 Energy Plan, which requires any new coal-fired electricity project to use carbon-capture technology to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, technology that is not yet commercially viable.)
"We have a considerable amount of coal in B.C., we have a very viable industry mining it, and they mine it in an extremely environmentally correct way," Mr. Hawes said. "The use of the coal in places like China - we know that they are taking steps to clean up their act and that's a gradual process."
Coal is the backbone of the British Columbia mining sector, accounting for $3.2-billion of last year's record $8.4-billion in mining revenues, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers industry survey.
The Raven mine, which would be next to former mine and exploration sites that date back to the 1800s, would have a projected "mine life" of 20 years and produce about 1.5 million tonnes of coal a year, making it a relatively small operation by B.C. standards. Canada is the world's second-biggest producer (behind Australia) of coking coal.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/bc-considers-proposal-for-coal-mine/article1283286/
Laborer community up in arms against illegal mining in North Kashmir
News Agency of Kashmir 9/10/2009 9:04:25 PM
Reyaz Ahmed/Bandipora, Sept 10(NAK): Hundreds of laborers and villagers are up in arms against the ongoing illegal mining in Madhumati River in Nathpora, Kaloosa and Danger villages of Bandipora; they seek the intervention of Chief Minster into the matter.
Locals and laborers were up in arms against the government after an individual order was allegedly issued to counterinsurgent and PRO of ex-MLA Bandipora Usman Majed mentioning the extraction of sand, gravel and stones from river Madhumati which has been banned by State fisheries and mining department.
Locals and Laborers told Kashmir Images that they were threatened of dire consequences if exposing the matter in media.
“It is unfortunate that Ikhwanis are still being encouraged not by Army but by government officer” said a local Muhammad Afzal (name changed), adding “no one dare to speak here as administrators are now behaving like renegades here”.
He said we were working in the river manually but officer misusing their chairs are forcing us to leave the space for illegal miners who are ikhwanis and are threatening every official of the concerned department from fisheries to Mining department”.
Locals alleged that order has been issued to boost the Ikwhanism in the area. “The Ikhwani group operate by entering a share with contractors and government agencies to extract sand and gravel, They use the muscle power to squeeze out other laborers working manually from decades of time” said an officer in DC office pleading anonymity, adding “Once they obtain the permission they shared the promised booty among every officer who help them in getting permission to extract material”.
“Every concerned officer and representative from renegade group is being bribed, so they survive any action by any regime as they are Ikhwanis” says building contractor.
Alleging the district administration of hand in glove with the illegal mechanical mining in the river villagers and laborers demanded an immediate check on the menace.
Over 3,000 villagers and 200 laborers working in the river had complained about illegal mining by some Machine owners having political and bureaucratic backside which has direct affect of the income of hundreds of laborer and a major threat to ecology thereof.
Locals alleged that despite strong resistance by the villagers, illegal machine sand lifters have somehow managed to continue their operations, allegedly under the due patronage of local administration, Locals alleged that the villagers also met the local administration several times to check the illegal mining operations. But that also did not yield any results.
They alleged that the persons who had been issued valid permit by the State Mining Department to extract sand, grit and hard stones manually from the river Madhumati are being harassed while as the machine holders are illegally quarrying in river, besides that the concerned had strictly banned any type of mining. They also feared soil erosion and environment degradation in that area.
Complainant further alleged that a local ADC in Bandipora Peerzada Mushatq Ahmed Shah have legalized the illegal mining by issuing permission order to banned machine holders under Order No DCB/estt/09/1098-1102,dated 04-09-2009.and is threatening laborers and villages of dire consequences if they expose it in media or inform higher authorities bout the issuance or order.
It is here pertinent to mention that while banning the machinery work (JCB) in the river the same ADC Bandipora is issue an order bearing No DCB/estt/2009/268-72 dated 06-06-2009, which mentions the total ban on the machinery work in the river Madhumati.
“Besides issuing a permission order to illegal machine miners, locals ADC threatened us of dire consequences if we are exposing the deal in media or informing higher authorites” said a village head Ghulam Hassan.
It is interesting that ADC has issued individual order in favor of surrendered militant allegedly under political cover.
Here pertinent o mention that the illegal machine work is being headed by the PRO
Locals further revealed that machine holders have got permission as they have leveled the orchard land for ADC free of cost at kunan village of Bandipora which the ancestral residence of ADC.
Demanding action against the illegal machine miners and irresponsible district officers locals He demanded exemplary punishment to illegal machine miners and the irresponsible officer who have issued order while violating the orders.
Confirming the issuance of illegal permission order in favour of machine holders order for illegal mining by the ADC Bandipora, Mining Officer Kashmir Abdul Majeed Mir said “it is unfortunate that a responsible officer order has issue such an order without the consent of the concerned directorate”
“District administration is authorized only to direct or issue an order, I will take the issue with the Director Geology and Mining and the illegal mining will be stopped”.
Laborers today submitted memorandum to Divisional Commissioner Kashmir and directorates of state Fisheries, Geology and Mining Department, where Addition divisional Commissioner assured laborers of actions against the erring officers and the illegal mining.(NAK)
http://naknews.co.in/newsdet.aspx?q=23606
80 NGOs call RP’s mining policy ‘erroneous’
Agri-Commodities
Written by Joel C. Paredes / Special to the BusinessMirror
THURSDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2009 20:16
THE river that runs near the slopes of the mineral-rich mountain ranges of Masinloc, Zambales, suddenly turned brown one fine day, forcing the mayor to temporarily stop mining activities in his town.
While mineral explorations were contributing to the municipal coffers, the local chief executive could not barter the future. The environment was deteriorating as fast as the backhoe dug deep into the earth. It wasn’t worth it, he thought.
Now, Salvador “Ka Dan” Dimain, a local community organizer among the Aeta hunters and gatherers in nearby Botolan and Cabangan towns, could only blame the flash floods and the sudden uncontrollable flow of lahar to populated areas to the large-scale mining activities being promoted by local officials.
“They keep on saying that it will bring good to my people, and they practice ‘responsible’ mining, but look at its backlash,” he said.
Ka Dan has joined nongovernment organizations (NGOs), calling themselves the Alyansa Tigil Mina, in asking the government to stop “Mining Philippines 2009,” a conference and exhibit of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines scheduled from September 15 to 17, until the so-called revitalization strategy of the Philippine mining industry is reviewed.
Conference organizers are already bullish on the prospects of mining, having rebounded to a double-digit growth of 21.4 percent from a negative 13.7 percent last year.
“The mining industry is expected to continue its rebound, defying a lot of skepticism that have hounded the commodities market in recent months,” a statement from the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines Inc. (COMP) noted.
At least 80 NGOs, however, criticized the Philippine mining policy as an “erroneous” development policy meant to lure foreign investors. Based on official statistics, the contribution of mining to the national economy is actually miniscule, the jobs generated are not even 1 percent, and even investments made are off-the-mark by 80 percent, according to ATM national coordinator Jaybee Garganera.
Worse, he said, the Philippines, being an archipelago, may not be suited to large-scale mining because of ill-effects caused by mining activities on the climate as forests are denuded and watersheds are turned into wastelands.
Civil society’s sudden outrage puts into question the viability of the so-called responsible-mining strategy being showcased by the Arroyo government and COMP.
This is supposed to abide with the principles of sustainable development, built-in protection for the indigenous peoples, the sharing of the benefits of mining among major stakeholders, and compliance with strict environmental and social provisions of the Philippine Mining Act, the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act and other laws.
Garganera said they were shown the “best practices” of various mining operations for responsible mining, but they have yet to be convinced that the companies have successfully closed or “looped in” in this model in one single operation in a specific area.
He said responsible mining has become a weak model since it relies on voluntary compliance of large-scale mining companies.
Mining operations in the country also depend highly on the ability of the government to enforce safeguards articulated in national laws and policies.
It doesn’t even address the issue of corporate and state graft and corruption, a scenario that is not totally insulated in the extractive industries.
Today, he warned, the industry’s track record has “earned social distrust, which does not adhere to the elements of responsible mining, proving that it does not exist in the Philippines.”
Civil-society groups have been calling for the scrapping of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, and the passage of House Bill 6342, the alternative mining bill, which is anchored on land and natural-resources management and human-rights-based approach.
In a statement, they said the existing law only “promotes the exploitation of raw materials without maximizing the benefits of such resources for the Filipino people.”
http://businessmirror.com.ph/component/content/article/53-agri-commodities/15846-80-ngos-call-rps-mining-policy-erroneous.html
Other News
Electronic NREGA in 60 days
By BASUDEB SEN and SANJAY BHARGAVA
Reuters
Labourers work on a dried lake to try and revive it under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) at Ibrahimpatnam, on the outskirts of Hyderabad, June 17, 2009.
In these times of drought of economic hardship, there's an extreme urgency getting payments to workers involved in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, or NREGA. Even more important than speed, though, is that the money should reach the intended beneficiary without fail.
We believe that nationwide rollout is possible within 60 days. This is because existing models can be tweaked to achieve the end result. Under these models, banks can appoint business correspondents – who play the role of middlemen – to apply technology to enable secure-cash deposits and withdrawals at customer service points.
Basudeb Sen
The task of spreading awareness, training users and expanding customer service will take time. But given the will to execute, the work can be done.
We wish to make our points with a system provided by a large bank that we are familiar with. There are systems provided by other banks that could be used as well. We will make certain assumptions. None of these assumptions are far fetched:
1. India's central bank, the Reserve Bank of India , will need to allow the bank to open no frills accounts for NREGA beneficiaries with just their job cards. These accounts will have the mobile number of the beneficiary (any mobile, any service provider) or a unique ten digit number given by the bank's business correspondent's customer service point for those beneficiaries who do not have a mobile phone.
Sanjay Bhargava
2. The business correspondent will ensure that a trained customer service point is available within a small radius of all NREGA beneficiaries. These points are mostly grocery stores (kirana outlets). They will open no frills accounts for NREGA beneficiaries, give them a simple and secure means to handle cash deposit and withdrawals. All these customer service points will need to have a low end handset with an active connection from an existing telecom service provider.
3. The business correspondent will need to capture the NREGA job card number when the account is opened so that it can route payments to the correct account.
4. Once the accounts are opened, the mechanics are simple. For each NREGA recipient, the NREGA authority will give a lump-sum payment plus an electronic file to the bank with the amount and job card number of each recipient. The amounts will be electronically credited.
That's the theory. Here's how it would work in practice:
Lets say the NREGA authority pays 1% to the service providers and the NREGA recipient pays 1 rupee + 1% to the authorised customer service point. If the average monthly payment is 500 rupees and monthly disbursements are 30 billion rupees then the number of accounts will be 60 million. If each shop handles 200 transactions a month, then there will be 300,000 shops. This model costs the NREGA authority 300 million rupees per month. The providers earn 5 rupees per account per month. The NREGA recipients pay 6 rupees per transaction so each shop earns 1,200 rupees per month.
The rough idea here is to show that the economics work under a 60-day rollout. NREGA beneficiaries will need to be trained, but the only prerequisite is numeric literacy. The system will have to be made scam proof and monitored to minimize leaks. For that, civic society and technology must be our watchdogs.
—Sanjay Bhargava and Basudeb Sen are both members of the the Universal Financial Access (UFA) movement in India (www.ufa-india.org). Sanjay is based in Delhi and Basudeb in Kolkata.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125265409132702427.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Courts eye on NREGS
Category » Editorial Posted On Thursday, September 10, 2009
The courts of different districts of the country with a view to keep an eye to check anomalies in implementing National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, have started monitoring of NREGS work. The NREGS which is for the unemployed but the responsible officials are involved in anomalies and not doing their work honestly. All the possible efforts are being made to implement it properly. Even the Supreme Court has also keenly interested in such a massive project. The Supreme Court has issued order to the judges to keep monitoring on the work. In this connection Civil Judicial Magistrate Kamlesh Kumar Jurri of Jashpur, Chhatisgarh inspected the work of this scheme visiting villages. The deployed officials under the scheme disappeared muster roll at the site, did not provide employment to the needy, anomalies in wages etc. He inspected the work at two Village Panchayats- Diwanpur and Kadakdhar. Jarri issued order to provide wages for last four months and within 7 days. He also organized a camp at Diwanpur where people lodged their complaints. He was told that the de-silting work of pond was continued for 15 days in May-2009 but all the 52 labourers did not get wages yet. Jarri was not given muster rolls related to de-silting work of pond. Sarpanch and government officials are hand in gloves in this work. In such a case the Congress and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi found in a village of Rai Bareli,Uttar Pradesh. The officials and village panch-sarpanch exploited the provided amount on the name of new pond whereas the pond was old. In Madhya Pradesh the same anomalies came into light that the contractors and officials did not provided employment to the labourers but used machines in the work. The officials keep job card of the labourers. It is pitiable that how do the officials are involved in corruption even in the scheme of upliftment of poor villagers. How could we imagine about the development in such an atmosphere. Generally, the government officials are given responsibility of conducting the schemes, but now the Supreme Court taking a positive step has given directives to the judges to monitor the work under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
http://www.centralchronicle.com/viewnews.asp?articleID=14340
Reserved for failure
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S B Misra, Hindustan Times
September 10, 2009
First Published: 23:30 IST(10/9/2009)
Last Updated: 23:33 IST(10/9/2009)
In a recent decision, the Supreme Court has approved 50 per cent reservation for the weaker sections in private institutions. The move could prove to be helpful if the benefit was shared universally by all the members in whose name such provisions are granted. Unfortunately, the benefits have been going to affluent and powerful families among the lower castes, leaving the real dispossessed high and dry. The elite groups thus created consider themselves superior to their own caste members.
The only way to bring about harmonious progress of weaker sections is to offer opportunity by turns. A family that availed the benefit of reservation once should not be allowed to reap the benefits again. Otherwise, the real Dalits will remain Dalits forever.
The corrective measure can be implemented like in the NREGS that guarantees 100 days’ employment to BPL families and the village headman is the regulatory authority. If in the proposed National Identity Card it is entered whether the family is a beneficiary of reservation, it can help plan alleviation of the remainder of the families. Alternatively, such a card can be issued through village heads or city corporators and its copy enclosed with the application form for a post. There should be reservation, certainly: for those Dalits who are eligible but have not received a job so far.
The present reservation policy at the promotion level harms the national interest. When reservation is implemented in promotions and employees with little experience are made departmental heads, it brings discontent to offices.
There is no denying that caste Hindus committed injustice to Dalits who deserve an opportunity to make up for the loss. But, the caste Hindus should not be forced to inherit the sins of their ancestors. The notion that reservation is a right is dangerous. It amounts to perpetuating reservation for ages to come.
There can be a debate on excellence versus harmonious growth of society. Pandit Nehru stood for excellence when he wrote in 1961: “I dislike any kind of reservation, more particularly in services”. Rajiv Gandhi was no less candid when he told the then Prime Minister V.P. Singh in 1990: “you have ignited caste violence all over the country”. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel also viewed reservation as against the national interest but honoured the Poona Pact signed in 1932 between the Dalit leader B.R. Ambedkar and caste Hindus guided by Mahatma Gandhi. Reservation of 8.5 per cent to Scheduled Castes for ten years ending in 1960 was granted. Today’s politicians must understand they do not have a broader or better vision than Gandhi, Nehru and Patel.
S B Misra is a retired university professor
The views expressed by the author are personal
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Reserved-for-failure/H1-Article1-452446.aspx
Left cries foul over ministry's move on Forest Rights Act
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NEW DELHI: In the long-running saga of twists and turns in the Forest Rights Act, another battle front for arguments has opened with the ministry
of tribal affairs contending that forest dwellers who have access to work on revenue land should not get benefits under the Act.
The Act, fostering a flagship programme of the UPA in its first tenure to hand back rights to forest dwellers who had been traditionally living in forest lands has been muddled in controversies since its inception.
But to add to the grist, the ministry's demand that forest dwellers who have access to revenue lands should not be eligible for rights on forest lands under the FRA has come through a letter to the Left-ruled West Bengal government.
The Left parties had been at the forefront of the campaign to get the legislation enacted as part of the UPA-1 regime. They had also put pressure on the then Congress-led coalition to not dilute the provisions of the Act under pressure from the wildlife lobby.
The ministry, in a communication to the West Bengal government, wrote: "If the forest dwellers do not primarily reside on the forest land in their occupation and depend on the revenue land or the area of regularization encroachment of forest land for their bona fide livelihood needs, then they should not get title to the forest land in occupation."
Irked by the ministry's response, Brinda Karat, CPM politburo member and one of the key political figures behind the Act, has shot off a letter to the minister, Kantilal Bhuria. She wrote: "The interpretation given in the letter that alternative sources of livelihood are a consideration for deciding on the ineligibility for a tribal to become a rights holder under the Act is a clear violation of the Act."
The Act itself only mentions one condition for handing over the rights to the claimants. Under the Act, the claimant should be in occupation of the land before December 13, 2005 and the land should be used for self-cultivation for livelihood.
The new interpretation of the Act by the nodal ministry could now open a Pandora's box even as the UPA government had asked that all claims of tribals and others under the legislation be settled by the end of the year.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/Left-cries-foul-over-ministrys-move-on-Forest-Rights-Act/articleshow/4995932.cms
Occupied forest belt offered for project
A STAFF REPORTER
Guwahati, Sept. 10: The Assam forest department, in a bid to recover land from the clutches of encroachers, has offered 58.55 hectares of occupied land for construction of an earth electrode station and electrode line by the Power Grid Corporation of India at Balipara reserve forest in Sonitpur district.
Sources said the Sonitpur (west) forest division had cited three reasons for the offer— the proposed area is without any forest cover, it is under encroachment since the eighties and encroachers have started farming — making recovery of the land all the more difficult.
The corporation had surveyed five locations on the north bank of the Brahmaputra and identified Bogijuli as the site after assessing the various technicalities for constructing the earth electrode station and electrode line.
The station is part of a massive high voltage direct current transmission line project in which bulk power will be transferred from Biswanath Chariali in Sonitpur to Agra in Uttar Pradesh.
The Union ministry of environment and forests will take the final decision when the project comes up for discussion on forest clearance.
The Sonitpur (west) forest division had placed the report for the project in the ministry recently.
Altogether 12 families (Scheduled Tribes), who had been occupying the land since the eighties, will be displaced once the project takes shape.
The sources said almost half of Balipara reserve forest was under encroachment.
“The situation is grave and with the enactment of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, the encroachers will get more strength to settle now,” a forest official said.
The report said the plot of land was 15km away from Nameri National Park.
The forest division also submitted a certificate that an area of 117.10 hectares (twice the area required for the project) in the degraded forest of Balipara reserve forest had been identified for compensatory afforestation.
The user agency (Power Grid Corporation) has submitted an undertaking indicating that it will bear the cost of raising and maintenance of compensatory afforestation and the cost for protection and regeneration of the area.
The project proponent foresees tremendous scope of electricity generation by the project, which in turn will generate employment opportunities for local people.
During the period of execution of the project, a temporary employment generation of 10 lakh man-days has been projected.
The sources said the total cost of compensatory afforestation which includes creation and maintenance, cost of forest camp near the plantation site and cost of improvement of road near the plantation site will be Rs 5.5 lakh.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090911/jsp/northeast/story_11477037.jsp
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