District Level Consultation – Goa

Samata and mines minerals and people (mm&P) organized a District Level Consultation on Children in Mining Area, Illegal Mining, District Mineral Fund (DMF) and Future Generation Fund in collaboration with SETU at Honda Panchayat, Sattari, Goa on 22nd December’ 2018.

The Consultation witnessed the presence of total 62 participants comprising of local government representatives like Panchayat Members, Sarpanch, community members from Sonshi, Soyle, Pissurle and Honda, members of Civil Society Organizations, and Women’ s Groups and Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

There were discussions on the overview of mining throughout the country, various stages of mining, illegal mining, Samata Judgement, situation of children in the mining areas and consequences on their education, health affected due to air and water pollution, malnutrition issues etc., and the need for lobbying National Level regarding Child Rights as they are being violated.

There were discussions on the situation of children in mining areas and it was said that “mining children are nobody’s children and are falling through the cracks” as they are mostly ignored by all the concerned child welfare departments, govt. authorities unaware of the mining children’s inclusion in the respective departments. There is a confusion and lack of clarity as in which department the children in the mining areas should be included and what basic facilities and amenities should be provided to them.

The community people of Sonshi shared that around 70 children of the village and the surrounding villages are struck in their homes and unable to go to school as mining companies after the mining operations came to a standstill following a Supreme Court order, stopped providing the children transport and the roads are inaccessible due to mining dumps placed near the villages. Secretary General of mm&P Ashok Shrimali said that “this is violation of the Right to Education Act and it is the state government’s responsibility to provide free transport for school.”

There were elaborative discussions on District Mineral Fund (DMF), its formation, implementation in all the states and lack of public awareness on the functioning of the DMF. It was found that people are unaware of the DMF which is meant to be utilized for the betterment of the mining affected communities and the funds collected are to be utilized to provide basic amenities like drinking water, sanitation, education, health and environmental conservation and preservation. It was also noticed that there was no community participation of the mining affected communities at the planning, formulation and implementation stage.

Shrimali stated that as per the information available, Goa has about Rs. 186 crore under DMF of which Rs. 10 crore has been utilized. However the ground reality is that due to mismanagement of funds, the amount spent has not benefitted the mining affected communities.

Executive Council Member of mm&P, Goa Ravindra Velip, said that no district has developed a comprehensive DMF plan to ensure need- based investments in mining affected areas. He alleged that while the role of gram sabhas and panchayats are sidelined, no beneficiaries are identified under the scheme.

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News Link

  1. 70 children of Sonshi village in Goa struck in homes as mining dumps have made roads inaccessible – Counterview.org
  2. Mining firms stop school buses, 70 kids stuck at home – The Times of India
  3. Mining alliance takes up DMF fund – Herald Goa News
  4. 70 Sonshi kids out of school after mining closure – Navhind Times News
  5. सोनशीतील विद्याथ्यार्चे भविष्य धोक्यात – Dainik Herald News
  6. डीएमएफचा निधि खाणग्रास्तांसाठी वापरा – Tarun Bharat News
  7. सोनशीतील विद्यार्थ्यांसाठी वाहतूक व्यवस्था करावी – Pudhari News

District Level Consultation – Khanvel, Dadra & Nagar Haveli

In the District Level Consultation at Khanvel, Dadra and Nagar Haveli there were discussions on the overview of mining throughout the country, various stages of mining, illegal mining, Samata Judgement, situation of children in the mining areas and consequences on their education, health due to air and water pollution, malnutrition issues etc., and the need for lobbying at National Level regarding Child Rights as they are being violated. There were sessions on Mining Rules & Law Amendments, DMF Structure, Set up & present status, Cooperative mining – shareholding for the tribals, Silicosis, lack of implementation of FRA, Labour Act, Displacement, Communities command over natural resources, Future Generation Fund (model of Goa), Women & Mining etc.

A short documentary film “Falling through the cracks – Children and Mining” was screened and followed by a detailed session on the plight of children in mining areas by the Secretary General of mm&P. A Participatory approach was followed in sensitizing the people on the violation of child rights in the context of Children in mining areas.

There were elaborative discussions on Industrial Corridors especially the Delhi- Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) which is a dedicated corridor spread across the states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

There was sharing on the issues of Bullet train, National Expressways, Delhi- Mumbai Flight Corridor in the context of land acquisition, Emergence of Tribals, Challenges faced by them, Tribal Identity – Governance in schedule areas, Tribal Advisory Council, Schedule V & Schedule VI of the Constitution and Migration.

District Level Consultation – Markapuram, Prakasam

District Level Consultation on Children in Mining Area, DMF & Illegal Mining was conducted at Markapuram, Prakasham, Andhra Pradesh.

The Consultation was attended by the RDO, Mr. Ramkrishna Reddy, AD Mines & Geology, A.P., Mr. E. Narsimha Reddy & ALO Mr. Suresh among the State Govt. Officials. Mr. RDO spoke about the various Govt. Schemes and suggested the gathering to utilize the benefits of the schemes and about PMKKKY (Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojna) launched by the Central Govt. in 2015 to provide for the welfare of areas and people affected by mining-related operations, using the funds generated by District Mineral Foundations (DMFs).

Hon. AD Mines & Geology said that Prakasam has received 48 crores for DMF and the money is already being used for the anganwadi centres, Health, sanitation and Education purposes. He mentioned that if there is any requirement from any village for village development and if the Gram Sabha approves of the same, the state govt. will sanction money for such development purposes. He also said that in 2017-2018, 260 cases of illegal sand mining cases have been filed and action is being taken accordingly.

A short documentary film “Falling through the cracks – Children and Mining” was screened and followed by a detailed session on the plight of children in mining areas. A Participatory approach was followed in sensitizing the people on the violation of child rights in the context of Children in mining areas.

District Level Consultation – Telangana

In the District Level Consultation at Telengana, A short documentary film “Falling through the cracks – Children and Mining” was screened and followed by a detailed session on the plight of children in mining areas by the Secretary General of mm&P. A Participatory approach was followed in sensitizing the people on the violation of child rights in the context of Children in mining areas. There were discussions on the overview of mining throughout the state regarding five open cast mines and Singareni Coal mines, various stages of mining, degradation of Godavari River’s water quality and water pollution.

There were sessions on Mining Rules & Law Amendments, DMF Structure, Set up & present status, Cooperative mining – shareholding for the tribals, Silicosis, lack of implementation of FRA, Labour Act, Displacement, Communities command over natural resources, Future Generation Fund (model of Goa), Women & Mining etc.

District Level Consultation – Dumka, Jharkhand

In the District Level Consultation held at Dumka, Jharkhand there were discussions on Illegal mining, PESA, Forest Rights Act, Samata Judgement, Cooperative Mining, Constitutional provisions for the tribals, Implementation and importance of District Mineral Foundation, Status of Tribals, Future Generation Fund, Financial Crisis in Jharkhand, situation of children in the mining areas and consequences on their education, health due to air and water pollution, malnutrition issues, Women and Mining. It was also said that the mining leases to the companies should be given rationally following all the rules and regulations. There were also discussions on how to address the violation of child rights, migration and trafficking issues among children.

A short documentary film “Falling through the cracks – Children and Mining” was screened and followed by a detailed session on the plight of children in mining areas. A Participatory approach was followed in sensitizing the people on the violation of child rights in the context of Children in mining areas.

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