KGF - Little England and The Hell Next Door

 

But more than a miner, Lavelle was the poster boy of the gold rush. Lavelle was not rich, which limited his capabilities to explore the gold reserves. But his vision of creating fields of gold and the dangerous gambles of mining, soon became the premise of a novel – ‘Living Dangerously’ by FE Penny. This made him a popular man, even though his savings were depleting.

But by 1877, the young entrepreneur was unable to scale his business further and was desperate to raise funds. But due to his popularity, support came from another armyman – Maj Gen Beresford of the Madras staff corps in Bangalore. He along with three others – McKenzie, Sir William and Col William Arbuthnot –formed a syndicate with several other army officers called ‘The Colar Concessionaries Company Limited’, which took over the mining operations.

Mining engineers were invited from across the world to dig shafts in Kolar to further the explorations.

But things changed, when the syndicate, under pressure from their investors, approached John Taylor and Sons, a company that brought state-of-the-art mining engineering to India. The arrival of these engineers from Norwich, England started the golden era of KGF.

As Operations in the KGF surged ahead, British planned Asia’s second and India’s first power plant in Kolar. Officers of the Royal Engineers approached the Mysore Maharaja with a proposal to build a hydroelectric plant in the Cauvery river, in 1900. Central Electric Company from New York and Eicher Wyss from Switzerland were given the task of establishing the power plant and 148 km of transmission lines, the longest in the world. Machinery imported from Britain, America and Germany were transported in carts pulled by elephants and horses.

Soon, the candles and kerosene lamps in KGF were replaced by bulbs, even before Bangalore or Mysore were electrified. While in 2018, several parts of the state experienced power cuts, by 1902, KGF had an uninterrupted power supply.

For British engineers and others from across the globe, Kolar was ‘Little England’. Weather like England, bungalows, and clubs made KGF an ideal home. Being a British mining colony, life in KGF was greatly influenced by British culture.

This was in sharp contrast to ‘coolie lines’, the name given to the makeshift homes occupied by miners, a majority of whom were Tamil migrants. Life was hard on the other side, with more than one family often occupying one such shed. It was famous for its rat invasion, where workers killed over 50,000 rats a year.

Workspaces were no different. Despite the constant supply of dehumidified air into the underground tunnels, temperatures in the tunnels shot up to 55 degrees Celsius and accidents were commonplace.

KGF - THE CRADLE OF GOLD RUSH

 

The year was 1871. Michael Fitzgerald Lavelle, a retired Irish soldier from the British Army, had made Bangalore cantonment his home. Retirement was a drag for Lavelle, who had just returned after fighting the Maori wars in New Zealand.

Although he hoped to make it big post-retirement, Lavelle spent much of his time reading; and a four-page article from the 1804 Asiatic Journal he came across, set Lavelle on a journey that eventually birthed the world’s second deepest goldmine – the Kolar Gold Fields.

While 2018 movie ‘KGF’, touted as the biggest Kannada movie of the year, has built curiosity about this forgotten mining town, and India’s gold rush, the makers admit the movie isn’t a historical account but a work of fantasy. However, this pales in comparison to the real story of the Kolar Gold Fields.

Lavelle had developed an interest in gold mining during his time at war in New Zealand. So, he was understandably excited, when an old report by one Lt John Warren spoke about possible gold reserves in Kolar.

Lt Warren’s encounter with Kolar gold began in 1799, after erstwhile ruler Tipu Sultan was killed in the battle of Srirangapatnam by the British.

The British decided to handover Tipu’s territories to the Mysore princely state, but for this land had to be surveyed. Warren, who was then serving in his Majesty’s 33rd regiment of foot, was summoned to Kolar for this task.

Warren had heard rumours of gold reserves and fables of people digging gold with their bare hands, during the time of the Chola dynasty.

Intrigued by the rumours, he announced a reward for anyone who could show him the yellow metal. Soon, villagers appeared before him with bullock carts filled with mud, which they washed in front of the officer to isolate gold powder.

After an investigation, Warren concluded that for every 120 lbs or 56 kg of earth, one grain of gold could be extracted using the villagers’ crude methods and in the hands of professionals, this could open up large gold reserves.

“Should we still fancy for the belief that gold occurs only on a narrow region? Why can’t the gold veins under the ground near Maarikuppam extend far beyond.” he wrote.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE KOLAR GOLD FIELDS

 

 

DH Web Desk, Pranshu Rathee, Bengaluru, 

• DEC 21 2018, 17:14 IST
• UPDATED: DEC 23 2018, 18:17 IST

 

Hysteria reached an all-time high on Friday as the much-awaited Sandalwood magnum opus, KGF released much to the delight of enthralled Kannada film fans who had been eagerly awaiting the Yash starrer thriller.  

To bridge the distance between fact and fiction, DH mines our archives and brings to you ten facts about Kolar gold fields that you may not know.

• The Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), situated 100 kms from Bangalore, is the second deepest mine in the world and has mined gold for over 121 years.
   
• The Britishers fondly called Kolar Gold Fields “Mini England”. In 1903, the British government constructed a lake in Bethamangala to supply water to KGF and surrounding townships. Arrangements were made for filtered water to be supplied to the mines through huge pipelines from the Government Water Works at Bethamangala, five miles away from KGF and the underground water source of the Pala River. Soon Bethamangala became a popular sailing and picnic spot for the British population in KGF.
   
• After Japan, KGF became the second city to be electrified in Asia.
   
• To speed up gold production in a less hazardous manner, the Kolar Gold Fields were provided with electricity generated at the hydro-electric station, the first one in Asia, at the Shivanasamudra, about 131 kilometres away.
   
• In June 1902, electricity was supplied for the mining operations at KGF, from India's first and oldest power generation plant which was called the 'Kaveri Electric Power Plant' from Shivanasamudra.
   
• The capacity was increased in 1903, following which the plant was generating excess than what was required at Kolar. And so, a plan was conceived for providing electric lighting in Bengaluru. On August 3, 1905, Namma Bengaluru’s first electric lights were switched on! Within a few years, many parts of the city were electrified.
   
• In the 1960s, a laboratory had been set up at a depth of 8,000 feet in the gold mines for experiments on the life of protons after an article by Homi Jahangir Bhabha at an international seminar in Mumbai in December 1950.
   
• Research on cosmic rays was conducted at KGF and Pakistan’s only Nobel prize-winning scientist, Absuth Sallam had also visited the laboratory. Experiments were staged to discover whether iron rods weighing 8,000 tonnes would melt when radiation passed through them. ​The experiment were declared a failure five or six years later.  
• Fears of nuclear fuel waste being dumped in the mines of Kolar Gold Fields dominated in the 1980s.
   
• Inhabitants of present-day KGF have several issues such as slums, open drains, lack of public toilets, electricity issues and environmental pollution due to past mining operations and scientific experiments. A lot of mine workers are now engaged in odd jobs, waiting for another gold rush.

THE HISTORY OF BGML AND ITS OPERATIONS IN KGF

The gold mines in Kolar are located about 100 km away from Bengaluru city. When it was operational, it was the world’s second deepest gold mine with mining activity being conducted at a depth of 3,000 ft. The mines were active for 121 years and closed in February 2001. 

In 2001, the Board for Industrial and Financial Closure had called for shutting down the mines. However, in 2009, a single-bench judge of the Karnataka High Court issued an order permitting the sale of BGML by inviting global tenders in order to revive the company. The issue was appealed in the Supreme Court in 2013, which permitted the Union government to revive the mines itself. After its closure, in 2013, the Union government had sought to sell BGML to private entities. The Union government had then directed BGML to conduct a study of dumps and mines. In 2019, the Union government submitted to the Supreme Court that it would take nine months to complete a feasibility study, which was being conducted by MECL. In August this year, the report was submitted to the government, after which the announcement was made by the Union Minister. 

However, sources with the Department of Mines and geology said that optimization of operations at BGML could occur efficiently only if the company is privatized. “Instead of using public funds to revive it, if it is privatized and the government enters into a profit-sharing agreement with the company, the government stands to benefit more as the taxpayers will not have to bear operations costs. But this too is a point of contention right now,” the senior official said.

WILL NEW TECHNOLOGY HELP TO REVIVE THE MINES WITH LOW COST?

 

A senior official with MECL said that using laser mining technology, mining operations could once again begin and the Karnataka government would make profits close to Rs 1,100 crore as the technology would cut out many operational costs that existed in 2001. 

Besides, the Karnataka government is planning on not just selling the gold exclusively to RBI, but fall in line with the operations at Hatti Gold Mines, where the gold is sold to buyers at market value. 

“The gold prices are very good right now. A long-standing demand in KGF was to generate employment. Successive governments have not done this but reviving it will help this cause,” the senior official with the Mines and geology Department said. 

Dr Unnikrishnan, former Chief Finance Manager and advisor to the Union Ministry of Mines, with 39-years experience in gold mining operations, said that reopening the deep mines will not be a simple task as the essential infrastructures like hoists, winding engines, runners, underground air conditioning and the special power generation plant in the existing plant needs a complete revamp. “The cost of exhaustive repairs and the technical know-how for this has to be optimised first. Bharat Gold Mines Limited had always maintained data on proven ore reserve. At present price, much of this will be viable. Location of these mines and access points are being identified To my knowledge, using laser beam  technology for extraction of gold from the ore body will ensure a 95% recovery ratio. This can minimise extraction costs,” Dr Unnikrishnan said. 

KOLAR GOLD FIELDS MINES TO BE REVIVED AFTER NEARLY TWO DECADES, IS IT FEASIBLE?

 

The mining operations at Kolar Gold Fields were shut down in 2001 as the public sector mining company was incurring huge losses.

Nearly two decades after the gold mines shut down in Kolar, the Union government has decided to revive the mining operations. On Wednesday, Union Minister for Mines, Pralhad Joshi announced that the Union government has decided to revive Bharat Gold Mines Limited (BGML), the public sector company, which was in-charge of gold mining operations in Kolar Gold Fields. 

The Union government has charged the Minerals Exploration Corporation Limited with conducting a feasibility study, to re-evaluate whether mining operations are feasible and to analyse whether reviving the mines can be turned into a profitable venture by using new technologies. Sources with MECL said that a preliminary feasibility study was submitted to the Union Ministry of Mines in August this year. Senior officials with the Department of Mines and Geology in Karnataka said that Pralhad Joshi and Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had discussed the issue in late August and had decided to revive the mining operations as the study had indicated profitable operations. 

“A lot of water has accumulated in between and in order to drill deeper, we would have to suction the underground water, which is not only inadvisable keeping in mind the environmental factors but the cost of extracting the ore would also be higher. We have identified a few areas but we are still in the process of identifying the type of gold vein and the movement in areas where shallow mining activity had taken place,” the MECL official said. 

Officials with the Department of Mines and Geology said that southern and south-eastern regions like Chikkaragunta of KGF have been identified as feasible areas for mining. Shanmukha, the department official in-charge in KGF, told TNM that one of the reasons why mining operations shut down on February 28, 2001, was due to lack of adequate technology to optimise the cost of mining. Besides, the gold extracted from KGF was sold exclusively to the Reserve Bank of India at rates less than the market value, which had rendered the operations unprofitable. 

“The gold mining activity became unprofitable 11 years before the mines were shut down. The recurring losses and lack of technology to optimise costs was becoming a burden on the taxpayer,” he said. 

GOVERNMENT'S APATHY ON GOLD MINES

 

While talking about the mine closure, India’s National Mineral Policy notes that once the reserves in mine are completely exhausted there is a need for scientific mine closure which will not only restore the ecology and regenerate biodiversity but also take into account the socio-economic aspects of such closure. 

“Where mining activities have been spread over a few decades, mining communities get established and closure of the mine means not only loss of jobs for them but also disruption of community life. Mine closure should be done in an orderly and systematic manner. Government has a role in ensuring that post-production mine decommissioning and land reclamation are an integral part of the mine development process; that financial provisions for the costs incurred in mine closure are accorded a high level of priority by the industry; and that consistent approaches are adopted for efficient and effective mine reclamation and rehabilitation,” the policy notes.

But this transition never happened for the KGF. Many times in the past, the Centre has asked the state government to revive the area but the state government contended that the area brings no revenue to the city municipal council and has liabilities of over Rs. 17,000 crore (Rs. 170 billion). 

Rajendran, a former legislator from the KGF area and President of the Republic Party of India, stated that the KGF has always been neglected when it comes to the fund allocation for development and said people of the KGF are living in poor conditions because of the government’s apathy. 

Roopa Kala Sashidhar, the current legislator from the Indian National Congress party, told Mongabay-India that the state government isn’t approving the MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) grant of Rs two crore (Rs. 20 million ) for the last two years, citing floods and COVID-19. 

“In KGF, we have the manpower, good infrastructure and acres of land, which can be used for industrial purposes and the borders of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are close by. The state government should have capitalised on these things to create employment opportunities for the people in KGF,” Sashidhar told Mongabay-India.  

We must build proper infrastructure for hospitals here, and it is the responsibility of the government to create employment opportunities, but currently, the government isn’t focused on the development of KGF or reopening the mines, she said.

Even the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), an organisation under the Department of Mines, mandates that the mine operator close it responsibly. Its guideline states that the region’s pre-mining ecology is to be restored, the toxic residue is to be disposed of and underground water be protected from the toxic residue. The company closing the mine is responsible for the restoration and management of air, water, top soil, waste, and infrastructure in the area.

However, in the KGF, the unplanned closure has left the area in a mess. Karthikeyan Kandasamy, professor, Sigma College of Architecture in Kanyakumari, in his research ‘Socio-economic Impact of Unsystematic Mine Closure: A case of Kolar Gold Fields’ states that if due process was followed in the KGF while shutting the mine, it could have brought new land use, employment, character and vibrancy to the area. The study blames unplanned closure for the degradation of land, environment and people’s livelihood in the KGF. 

“The policies and Acts to control unplanned mine closure and counter its effects on the community should be made strong by the Indian government. These issues and challenges faced by the people of KGF will be addressed and can be improved if the government, mining company and people show their support and interest in reviving the town,” Karthikeyan said in his research.

Recently, the Karnataka government announced its plans to develop an industrial park in the area of over 3,200 acres of the 12,109 acres owned by the BGML. But whether the plan would bring relief to the residents or increase their misery remains to be seen.

SHUTTING DOWN OF MINES LED TO EDUCATED BUT JOBLESS INDIVIDUALS

 

But it is not just about the health impacts, the people of the town are struggling with their livelihood as well. About 260,000 people still live in the KGF and due to lack of work in their locality, they end up regularly traveling to Bangalore for work. 

Valaras M., a 22-year-old local resident, mentioned that he travels to Bangalore to work as a daily wage labourer. He stated that a major portion of his earnings is spent on travel, and he works in Bangalore for two consecutive days, comes back home the day after, takes rest, and then follows the same routine. 

He highlighted that it doesn’t matter even if they are educated since there are no jobs nearby. “After the closure of mines, no companies are operating in the area, apart from Bharat Earth Movers Limited, but some people have also started driving auto-rickshaws and set up shops, Valaras said.

Many of the former employees of the BGML allege that they are getting no or low pension. Another resident K. Subramani, 67, who used to work as a supervisor in the mines, stated that he earns about Rs. 650 as pension every month. He complained that the BGML had promised that the amount would be raised to Rs. 3,000 but that never happened. 

Esavel, who worked underground in the mine for 11 years, stated that he was forced to voluntarily retire before the mine shut down but he doesn’t get any pension and was forced to work as a daily wage labourer to make ends meet. “We suddenly became untouchables after the closure of mills and the government is ignoring us like we don’t exist,” Esavel added. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has marginalised the people further as the trains are not functional. Valaras said he has been sitting idle at home since the start of the lockdown and is facing financial difficulties.

LAND AND WATER CONTAMINATION IN KGF

 The mine was closed without any prior intimation and left environmental waste near the BGML site. Over the years, the mines have generated about 35 million tonnes of residue from ore processing. The effluents are dumped in mounds, which comprise cyanide and silica. According to a study, there are 13 major dumps on the surface, occupying about 15 per cent of the total land area of about 58.12 square kilometers. Some of the cyanide dumps, locally known as cyanide hills, rise to a height of 40 meters. 

The residue contains sodium cyanide, which is used along with lime to extract gold. Some other additional chemicals used are copper sulphate and sodium silicate, which are present in the dump. In some low-lying areas, froth is seen on the surface due to acidification of the residue materials of sulphide dust, the study notes.

Environmentalist Vijay Kuman said the dump contaminated the groundwater in the area. He explained that the streams, which flow through the residue dumps, cause floods during monsoon and chemicals from the dump seeps into the water tanks and fertile agricultural lands. “This has made the land infertile, whereas it was once used to grow vegetables, paddy, ragi and groundnut,” Kuman told Mongabay India while adding that though the area receives good rainfall, the lack of proper catchment areas means that water isn’t collected and the district experiences droughts regularly.

Many former employees of the Kolar Gold Fields suffer from silicosis. Esavel mentioned that though he didn’t develop silicosis as he only worked underground for a few years, he developed liver problems. The workers who used to work underground had silicosis owing to the blast, gases, and smoke, he said.

He revealed that only a few employees of the mine are alive now, while a majority of them have died after developing diseases such as silicosis and lung cancer. “There are no proper hospitals, and they usually have to go to Bangalore for treatment,” Esavel said.

The cyanide dumps are covered by a cloud of dust and reek of sulfur dioxide, causing air pollution, a study had noted. Residents complain that particulate matter (tiny dust particles) from the dump is a major cause of skin allergies and respiratory problems in the area. 

Annan S., a shopkeeper in the city’s main market, stated that it’s difficult to breathe during windy days owing to the dust particles in the air. “Rashes, allergies, and respiratory problems are common in the area,” he said. 

Murali K., the town’s health inspector, admitted to Mongabay-India that silicosis is a common disease among the mineworkers. He said lung cancer is also prevalent among people living in the area and conceded that no measures have been taken to stop the spread, but they are trying to contain air pollution by planting the saplings on the cyanide hill. 

KGF : FROM FIELDS OF GOLD TO DUST BOWL

 

• Since mines were shut in Kolar Gold Fields in 2001, the town has received neither electricity nor water regularly. There are barely any toilets and people can be seen defecating in the open.

• Hillocks of toxic residue, locally called cyanide hills, stand tall in Kolar. The untreated toxic waste ends up contaminating land, air and water, causing harm to the health of the local people.

• The government rules require the mine operator, which was a government company in this case, to restore the mine area. These norms have been ignored so far.

“It was once called mini England and the KGF was the first Indian city to be electrified in 1902. The British government had also built a lake to meet the water demands of the area. When the mine was operational, the area didn’t experience any power cuts and water shortages. But now, after the gold has finished the area has lost its glitter too as there is neither proper electricity supply nor drinking water,” Esavel told Mongabay India.

The laborers who used to work in these mines live in poverty without any financial and health aid from the government. Residents live in shanties smaller than 100 square feet in over 400 colonies. The living conditions in those colonies are very poor as well as people don’t have access to proper toilet facilities and there are open drains in the colonies for wastewater which ends up triggering a host of communicable diseases. About 260,000 people still live in the Kolar Gold Fields. 

Kalai Arasan, a resident of the KGF’S Mill Colony, informed that there are only five public toilets and nearly 2,500 inhabitants rely on them. She claimed that all the men and more than half of the women defecate in the open. “The local municipality didn’t pay heed to the several complaints made by the residents demanding proper toilet facilities, she mentioned. When the toilets weren’t cleaned for over a year, the residents started cleaning them because they feared a disease outbreak,” Kalai told Mongabay-India.