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.

THE GROWTH OF KGF MINES UNDER JOHN TAYLOR COMPANY

 The mines under the stewardship of the John Taylor and Sans Company progressed rapidly. Besides the British many other Europeans such as German, Spanish Italian Scots, etc, joined the John Taylor and Sons Company to work in various departments of the mines. In just a few years time, since the company started mining operations the whole area was humming with mining activity

In what was once a desolate, waste, rocky terrain, a large and flourishing town sprang up. It was provided with most of the conveniences of a comfortable life at the time. Housing was provided for the workers depending on their rank and file and various amenities were provided in each mine.

The new migrant population was now firmly entrenched with their families in the Kolar Gold Fields and was quite happy with the facilities provided by the Company.

The men worked as laborers in the mines, the women worked as domestic servants in the bungalows. While the main occupation of the region was mining, other occupations to support life also came into being such as small businesses, etc. With such a lot of workforce available, there was no dearth of servants in KGF.

On pay-day, numerous vendors would set up stalls near the Pay offices in the different mines to sell sweaters, cardigans clothes, dhotis, sarees, textiles, towels, mats, foodstuffs, etc, to tempt the miners to part with their salaries. The medicine men with their monitor lizards, colored oils and other powders and bottles of liquids that promised increased sexual drive and a cure of all illnesses, were also a regular sight at these local markets or fairs.

Oldtimers like my grandfather always spoke of the golden days of the Kolar Mines during the early part of the 190 century. These mines which started as a small nondescript camp in 1880 by John Taylor & Sons, soon turned into a flourishing Settlement with luxuries befitting royalty. The settlement now boasted of many roomed bungalows with fireplaces and sprawling lawns clubs Recreation Halls, etc

In the 1920s, when the mining industry was at its peak, KGF occupied 30 square miles and had a population of 90,000. The mines had an impressive 24,000 employees working in various capacities.

Out of this number, around 400 were Europeans who held most of the high positions, around 650 were Anglo- Indians who held middle management posts such as supervisors, team heads, etc. The rest of the 23,000 workforce, comprised laborers and workmen, supervisors, and Maistries

HOW BANGALORE GOT RAILWAY LINE, PIPED WATER AND ELECTRIFICATION IN THE NAME OF KGF MINES

                                         RAILWAY LINE

With so much mining activity going on in the region and consequently the growth in the population, the need for better connectivity from the Kolar Gold Mining areas was badly felt. People had to travel by bullock cart to Bowringpet (Bangarapet) Station which was about 10 miles from KGF in order to board trains to Madras, Bangalore, etc as Bowringpet was on the Madras-Bangalore Railway link line.

The John Taylor and sons Company approached the Government of Mysore and the Maharaja of Mysore and prevailed upon them, for the need of a direct rail link between KGF and Bowringpet (Bangarapet).

Both the British Government of Mysore and also the Maharaja of Mysore, were fully aware of the developments taking place in the Kolar region as both greatly benefited from the Mining industry in the form of taxes and levies.

Accordingly, in 1894, the Mysore Government financed the construction of a Branch Railway line, 10 miles in length connecting all the 5 mines between Mysore Mine (Marikuppam) and Bowringpet Junction (Bangarapet) to the Bangalore - Madras Railway line and the South Maratta Railway.

New Railway Stations at Coromandel, Oorgaum, Champion Reefs, and Marikuppam, was established with a local train connecting Bowringpet and Marikuppam twice a day. This was a real blessing for people wishing to travel beyond Bowringpet to Kuppam, Jolarpet, Arkonam, Katpadi, etc.

ELECTRIFICATION OF MINES

From the inception of the mines in 1880 until the year 1902 all the machinery in the Kolar Gold Mines were worked by steam power. Feeling the need for captive electric power, The John Taylor and Sons Company prevailed upon the British Government in Mysore to provide Electric power to the Company to meet its huge need for electricity, for running the machines, and various other needs.

Accordingly, the Government of Mysore State decided in 1899 to utilize its natural waterfalls for producing electricity. They identified various sites but ultimately the site for setting up the power station was a point on the River Cauvery, which was east of Mysore city and south of Bangalore where the river divided into two forming the island of Shivasamudram.

The Cauvery Power Scheme was thus initiated in 1900 by the Mysore Government, under K Seshadri Iyer, the then Diwan of Mysore. The credit, however, for the Cauvery Falls Power Works was attributed to Captain Lotbiniere, the then Deputy Chief Engineer of the Mysore Government.

Incidentally, the same site was earlier identified for its potential in 1894, by Edmund Carrington, an electric engineer from Mysore. He had applied for a concession from the Mysore Government, to tap the water power at Shivanasamudra. He, along with Mr. Holmes from Madras and Colonel Henderson, a British resident Mysore, recognized that long-distance transmission power was possible at this point of the Shivasamudram Falls.

A little known fact which many are not aware of is that the city of Bangalore was able to get electricity in 1905 only because this long transmission line had to pass near Bangalore on the way to KGF. Bangalore thus became the First Indian City to have a power supply.

 

THE START OF GOLDEN CHAPTER IN HISTORY

The Kolar Concessionaires Soft Corporation continued mining for gold on a small scale, where Mr. Lavelle left off and its members became quite affluent with the gold that they mined. This Corporation later merged into a company called The Gold Fields of Mysore Company. This new Company, namely The Gold Fields of Mysore Company then took up prospecting for gold in earnest, and in course

of time, they acquired the entire area which is known as the Kolar Gold Fields.

In 1880, The Gold Fields of Mysore Company, contacted a British Engineering firm known as John Taylor and Sons to mine for gold in KGF on their behalf. The John Taylor and Sons Company which were instrumental in striking gold in Africa, arrived in Kolar Gold Fields and began to prospect

for gold in the Marikuppam and Oorigaum region.

After some time, The Gold Fields of Mysore Company decided to sell off their stake to the John Taylor and Sons Company for quite a good profit. Necessary approval of the Mysore British Government was obtained and they transferred all the rights and concessions to Ms.John Taylor and Sons. The John Taylor and Sons Company now became the sole owners of the entire area known as

the Kolar Gold Fields.

The firm of John Taylor and Sons now took up prospecting for gold in earnest. For three years they surveyed and tested the whole area and discovered that the entire area was rich in gold-bearing veins, extensively laden with gold deposits. Once the location and direction of the gold-bearing veins were established, the Company decided to sink shafts at different locations immediately. Captain B.D.Plummer, one of the reputed mining experts of the John Taylor and Sons Company, was brought from England, to start operations in Kolar Gold Fields.

In December 1883 the first shaft was sunk in the erstwhile Marikuppam Village and Marikuppam was renamed as Mysore Mine. The 2nd Shaft was sunk in the "Champion" Lode, which was found to be rich in gold deposits but at a very great depth and was named The Champion Reefs.

The Champion Reefs Mine is till today the second longest and deepest gold mine in the world, going down a staggering 3.2 Km below sea level. (The world's deepest gold mine is located near Johannesburg, the provincial capital of South Africa's wealthiest province).

In course of time many shafts were sunk at Nundydroog, Balaghat and Oorigaum as well and named after the British owners such as Henry's Shaft, Gifford Shaft, Bullen Shaft, Golconda Shaft, Tenants Shaft etc. Some of these shafts went down just a few hundred meters under the surface, while a good many of them went deep underground. All these shafts were connected by around 1350 kilometers of

tunnels and passages way below the surface of the earth.

The whole area was thus named the Kolar Gold Fields and was divided into different Mines for easier

management such as The Mysore Gold Mine, Champion Reef Mine, Oorigaum Mine, Nundydroog Mine, Tank Block Mine, Balaghat Mine, Gold Fields of Mysore, Coromandel Mine, Oriental Mine, Nine Reefs Mine, Road Block Mine, and the Mysore Reefs Gold Mines Company John Taylor II

Later on, all these mines were amalgamated into the four major gold mines of Champion Reefs, Marikuppam, Oorgaum, and Nandydroog, with the four major shafts in the more of Gifford's Shaft in Champion Reef, Edgar's Shaft in Marikuppam, Bullen Shaft in Oorgaum and Henry Shaft in Nandydroog as the flagship shafts of each mine.

 

It could be rightly said that K G F actually came into existence in the 1880s, when John Taylor and Sons, established their first shaft for systematic gold extraction. By the end of the 1880s, the success of Kolar Gold Fields was established and provided innumerable employment opportunities to many. These British Pioneers literally and figuratively struck a GOLD MINE in Kolar Gold

Fields! (No pun intended)

 

 

MYTHOLOGICAL TAKEOVER ON KGF AND MINES

 

There is another legend that offers a reason for the amount of gold found in this region, which goes back to the time of Lord Rama or the Tretha Yuga. According to the legend, it is said that Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and brother Lakshmana wandered through the thick and dense forests of the present-day Avani village which is about 20 km away from KGF, during their ‘Fourteen years Banishment' to the forests. 

They set up a hut in this jungle and lived there for some time. One day, Surpanka, the sister of Ravana the Demon, happened to see Lord Rama in the forest and was so enamored by him, that she begged him to marry her. Lord Rama refused to listen to her entreaties as he was already married to Sita. She then approached his brother Lakshmana to plead on her behalf. Lakshmana got so irritated with her pleading that he took his sword and cut off her nose in disgust.

When Ravana the Demon King heard about what had happened to his sister he got very angry and decided to take revenge on Lord Rama. He sent Maricha, his close aide in the guise of a golden deer to the hut where Rama and Sita were living. The golden deer cavorted and played near their hut and attracted the attention of Sita.

Sita was so attracted to the golden deer that she asked her husband Lord Rama to catch it for her. However, the deer was cunning and always moved away before Rama could catch it. It then started moving away from the area and Rama followed the deer for quite a long distance hoping to his catch it for Sita. However, the deer eluded Rama, despite his best efforts to catch it.

Lakshmana, in the meanwhile, was worried about his brother's absence and went in search of Lord Rama, leaving Sita alone in the hut. Ravana then capitalized on the situation and in the guise of a Sage abducted Sita and took her away to Lanka.

When Rama came to know about Sita's abduction, he immediately realized that the golden deer was no ordinary deer but Maricha in the guise of a deer and that it was a ploy to divert his attention. He chased and followed it till they came to a place where the present-day Kolar Gold Fields is located, and finally managed to kill it.

According to the legend, the way Rama shot it with his arrow, the deer got fragmented into many pieces, and its remains scattered over a vast area which is the present-day KGF. The remains turned into rocks and are therefore the reason for the presence of the yellow metal in this area!

Needless to say, Rama rushed to Lanka surmounting many difficulties, and ultimately rescued Sita from the clutches of Ravana and came back victorious with Sita.

Another legend that emanates from around the same period in history, states that the area was once the Dandakarana forest mentioned in the Ramayana.

Legend has it, that Valmiki's ashram was located on the steep hillock above the present village of Avani, and this is where Lava & Kusha, the twin sons of Rama and Sita were born and raised. Devotees firmly believed that Sita was a living Goddess and that wherever Sita's feet touched the earth, it turned to gold!!! Hence the reason for the vast gold deposits in the area!!!

 

A BRIEF HISTORY OF ORIGINS OF KGF - SECRET BEHIND IDENTIFYING THE GOLD

 

KGF or Kolar Gold Fields is situated in the southern parts of Bangarpet Taluk in Kolar District, Karnataka (Old Mysore) State. It lies in the Deccan Plateau of Central and South India and is roughly 3000 feet above sea level. The Doda Betta Range of Hills lies to the east of KGF and is 3195 feet above sea level.

Historically, it has been reported, that mining activity in the Kolar Gold Fields region dates back to almost 2000 years. It began as early as the First Century AD. The area was a barren, hilly place full of rocks and stones. Small Nomadic groups of people who moved about from place

to place first discovered that the rocks and stones in this particular area were different from other places.

The more clever or intelligent amongst them deduced that there was something valuable in these rocks and so they dug pits and tried to extract the gold ore from it. These nomads were poor and had very primitive implements, They exploited whatever gold ore they could get from these shallow pits, with their very limited infrastructure and implements then moved on to explore and find what

they could in another area. 

During the reigns of various dynasties in South India, gold mining was quite prevalent in the Kolar region. It has been recorded that during the Gupta Period in the 5 Century AD, gold was mined at a depth of 50 metres. The Chola Dynasty and other kings of South India including the Vijayanagar Empire and later Tipu Sultan continued the mining activity and their empires were made richer

because of the gold extracted from here.

However, these mining activities which were really on a very small scale of operations just about scratched the surface. The explorations didn't go down to more than a

few feet below the surface of the earth.

Apart from historical evidence about the origins of gold mining in the KGF area, there are many Folk tales and Legends as well which talk about the discovery of gold in the area, giving it a mythological touch. These folk tales and legends give different versions of the discovery of this precious metal in KGF. However, these are just folk tales and should be taken with a pinch of salt

I'll just highlight one or two of them.

According to one such legend, a poor shepherd while tending his sheep stumbled upon a rock of gold ore quite by accident during a violent dust storm. The dust storm was so violent in this dry, hilly, rocky region, that it raised so much dust and exposed a huge rock half-hidden in the ground. When the shepherd saw the rock over which he had stumbled, he couldn't believe his eyes. The rock had huge golden streaks on it. Needless to say, it was huge enough to make him a King and establish a kingdom of his own which he named 'Kolar'.