After anti-refinery protests, Nanar villagers to unite against bauxite mining project

After successfully protesting against a proposed oil refinery project for years due to its potential environmental impact, the villagers of Nanar in Ratnagiri district are planning to come together again for another fight—against bauxite mining. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued a notice for a public hearing on environmental issues regarding the proposed Nanar Bauxite Block, spread over 362 acres of land.

The Maharashtra government had allocated the project to Goa-based Sociedade De Fomento Industrial Pvt Ltd following an auction in May 2019. However, the project has been in cold storage for multiple reasons, including the 2019 assembly elections, Covid-19 and the protests against the proposed oil refinery in Nanar.

On July 27, the villagers were in for a shock after the state administration issued a letter to the Nanar gram panchayat, informing them about a public hearing on the proposed Nanar Bauxite Block on August 29. MPCB also issued a public notice about the proposed hearing, which will be chaired by the district collector. People can register their suggestions and objections regarding environmental issues related to the mining projects.

According to the MPCB’s draft report on the environmental impact assessment of the project, “the project proponent will take all precautionary measures to reduce the impact of mining operations on air, water, noise and soil and ensure that all control measures shall comply with the prescribed standards”. The proposed production of ore will be carried out by fully mechanised open-cast mining, with no drilling and blasting, the report added.

“The impact of change on land use will be positive only, as a portion of [the] abandoned pit will be partly backfilled and afforested and [the] balance portion will be left as [a] water reservoir which will be beneficial for the local villagers by way of irrigation and groundwater recharge. Development of [a] green belt along the boundary of [the] mineral block area will ensure a better environment compared to the one that existed at [the] pre-mining stage,” the report said.

However, the MPCB’s notice has created unrest among the Nanar villagers, who are planning to start protests to oppose the project and cancel the public hearing. Satyavan Palekar, a farmer from Nanar who had participated in the anti-refinery protests, said that villagers were shocked after hearing about the public hearing notice over the weekend.

“Everyone knows that the government is trying to start a bauxite mining project at Nanar, but due to locals’ anger there was no discussion about it for a few years. A few years ago, the gram panchayat passed a resolution against the mining project as it would affect nature, water bodies and mango-cashew farming. Now, suddenly, the government declared a public hearing,” he said.

Palekar said the villagers will decide on the next course of action during a meeting scheduled for Saturday. He added that nearby villages like Kumbhwade, Sagave, and Taral will also be affected, as the mine would cover 360 acres.

Santosh Walam, a member of the Nanar gram panchayat, said, “We had already opposed the bauxite mine in our village. Now, on 15 August, there will be a gram sabha, and we will again pass the resolution against mine and send it to the guardian minister and chief minister.”