JOIN USA team led by Mohan, the deputy accountant general, from the accountant general’s office in Bangalore, held a meeting at the taluk office in the town on Wednesday, with residents of mining areas and representatives of farmers’ organisations and social service organisations.
The team is here to study the impact of mining on people’s lives. The team elicited opinion of the residents.
The 10-member team has been asked to submit a report to the Centre on the benefits and inconveniences caused to the people in the region due to mining activities. The team is scheduled to continue the public consultation on Thursday.
Mohan said mining has greatly affected the lives of the people, including diseases caused to them and the livestock. The mining operations have also badly affected agriculture and forest land. The team is assessing the impact after mining operations were suspended in the region. It will also take the people’s opinion on restarting mining operations, besides the ways to resume them.
The people complained that the mining companies had not discharged their social responsibility properly. They were also not conscious to protect the health of the people and of the educational needs of the people, the team members were told.
The residents said that companies resuming mining operations should be given conditional permission and that the firms should be told to compulsorily abide by the conditions. The residents were given questionnaires to be filled out. Tahsildar Basavaraja Somannanavar was present on the occasion.