It's now the turn of residents in Gogi village of Yadgir district to spend sleepless nights over an upcoming project.
Unlike villagers in Halligudi in Gadag who were apprehensive about losing their lands, the residents of Gogi are worried about their health as they see a catastrophe coming with the Uranium Corporation of India Limited's (UCIL) proposed project to mine and process uranium ore. The project was cleared on Thursday by the State High Level Clearance Committee headed by Chief Minister Yeddyurappa.
At an Environment Impact Public Hearing conducted by the district administration on the proposed project at Gogi a few months ago, several residents complained that they were suffering from nervous weakness and paralysis and there was contamination of drinking water and food ever since the Corporation started exploratory work in 2007.
About 800 residents of the village took part in the hearing chaired by Yadgir Assistant Commissioner Kavitha S Mannikeri, and attended by top officials of the UCIL and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). A copy of the proceedings is available with this paper.
Bhimareddy, a resident, complained that about 500 to 600 people suffered from paralysis and other nervous disorders.
He demanded that an independent enquiry committee of health experts be constituted to study the effects of blasting activities and water quality.
Allauddin Babu, another resident, complained that drinking water and food had become non-potable. Fearing radiation, officials of UCIL drank packaged water and tested in nearby Shahapur, he said.
S A Husaini spoke of the conversation with the residents of Jaduguda in Jharkhand, where the UCIL's plant has been in operation for over two decades. He said that large number of people there are mentally retarded and were also facing the problem of impotency due to radiation.
The views of 18 residents have been recorded in the proceedings and almost all of them have complained that the exploration activities have affected them in one way or the
other.
Impact plan
However, the UCIL has in its Environment Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan submitted to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board recently, said an Environment Engineering Cell, comprising officials of both the UCIL and BARC, will be constituted at the project site to implement various mitigation measures.
“Radioactive radon gas coming out of the mine’s ventilation system can easily be dissipated and diluted to the background levels as the grade of ore to be handled at the surface is low," the plan stated.
Land acquisition left to DC: UCIL
The UCIL has said that it will come out with an attractive relief and rehabilitation package for those who part with their land for the mining in Gogi and other villages, according to M N Bahl, Executive Director (projects-South), UCIL, Hyderabad.
Asked whether farmers are willing to part with their land, Bahl said the deputy commissioner would be acquiring the required land and fix would the price for the land.
Under the corporate social responsibility programme, the company has already begun some work in the villages where mining will be carried out. The rehabilitation and resettlement programme also includes providing government jobs to the displaced families, he said.
He told Deccan Herald that the project has to go a long way to reach the stage of operation as many approvals including the clearance from the MoEF has to come through. It may take three-and-half years to commence the work, he said.
Residents’ complaints
* People suffering from nervous weakness and paralysis, muscle contractions
* Drinking water and food contaminated; the company is hiding all information
* The company officials are drinking packaged water as drinking water has been contaminated
Project details
* Uranium mining on 40 hectares land in Gogi village
* A processing unit on 102 hectares covering Saidapur, Diggi and Umardoddi villages
* Production of 1.5 lakh tonnes of uranium a year for 15 years
* Estimated project cost is
Rs 550 crore
Mitigation plan
* Mined uranium ore will be crushed underground; transported in covered conveyors to prevent fugitive dust
* Water spraying and dust suppression systems will be installed.
* Fume extraction system will be installed where chemicals are handled.
* Sodium di-uranate (SDU) production, drying and packaging unit will be enclosed in glass
* Dust-laden air will be passed through bag-filters to remove Sodium di-uranate dust.
* Used water will be treated and re-used in the uranium plant. Unused treated water will be discharged to dry lands.