On mining… a new book from Goa

Claude Alvares, environmental campaigner and journalist and man of many roles, wrote to say that the book release of this title is slated for Feb 8, 2008 (Friday). He wrote:

Members of the Goa Wildlife Group of the Goa Foundation have just published, Goa: Sweet Land of Mine, a severe critique in colour pictures of the damage caused to Goa’s forests, Western Ghats and biodiversity by iron ore mining.

The context of the book is the recent spate of “environment clearances” granted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for such mining leases in Goa. More than 70 environment clearances have been issued (almost like cycyclostyled forms) to more than 70 mining leases without site inspections or listening to villagers affected by mining.

If you get a copy of the book and see the pictures, you may lose your sleep. The objective of the book is to enrage the reader so that he/she is stimulated instead to make Ministry officials lose their sleep!

Goa: Sweet Land of Mine will be released at a public function at 5.00 PM on Friday, February 8, 2008 at Panaji’s Caritas Hall (near St.Inez.)

Public is welcome. Without public support and protest, we can fast see Goa being chewed up by mining, industrialisation and concrete. For those who unable to come or are abroad, download the book from: www.goacom.org/goafoundation/

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