Although mining shut 2 years ago, Siyanchem Tollem struggles to recover

KERI: Ambeshi, a village in Bicholim taluka, has been threatened by haphazard mining activities thereby resulting in posing a serious threat to Siyanchem Tollem, a main source of irrigating horticulture fields and also potable water.
Since the last two decades, mining activities in Ambeshi a village situated on the right bank of the River Mhadei has resulted in causing a number of problems like air, water and noise pollution.Villagers for so many years have suffered these problems, however, even after the temporary closure of mining for the last two years, have not improved the status of the perennial lake Siyanchem Tollem.
Dilip Arjun Ambeskar, 48, from Ambeshi, speaking to TOI, said, "Our village has a majority of tribals as well as population of backward communities mainly relying on horticulture fields. Presently, mines that have already reached below groundwater level, have posed serious danger to the springs once providing ample water to the lake and thereby ?Siyanchem Tollem' is not in a position for catering irrigation needs of the area".
Ambeshi, in the past, was a self-sufficient village where people were predominantly engaged in agricultural as well as horticultural activities. Springs coming from the hill of ?Savari Ghol' were continuously providing water for drinking and also for irrigation. In order to maintain the sagacity of Siyanchem Tollem, the tribals and other communities had established the shrine of Shivnath, once nestled inside the evergreen patch of the forest. But, today only two trees and horticultural fields are lying in the vicinity of the lake.
Gajanan Mulgaonkar, 57, a tribal, working in the horticultural fields says, "The Siyanchem Tollem is on the way to extinction and if no needful steps are taken on priority basis for desilting it and also protecting the springs joining the lake, we will lose our main source of irrigation water forever".
"Large voluminous amounts of mine rejects have been created around mine sites which not only change the topography, but, cause serious environmental problems as they are not maintained properly," laments Dilip Ambeskar.
The officials of Bandekar Brothers Pvt Ltd of Pale said, "The rainwater which is flowing into the catchment area of our mine goes through a trench to the nullah that is much below the village level. For several years, the rain water has been flowing out of the mine through this trench only and no dangers were caused."
Presently, Ambeshi is free from air, noise pollution caused by the mining activities, but the closure of the mines has not yet relieved them from drying of water sources in the vicinity of Ambeshi, since springs have been degraded and diverted to the mining pits. This has upset the groundwater table. No needful action has been taken to recharge the water bodies and neither government nor mining companies have made efforts to provide irrigation facility to the villagers of Ambeshi.
Bicholim mamlatdar Gurudas Desai, when contacted, by TOI, said, "I will ask concerned officials to conduct site inspection of the area and necessary directives will be given to solve the irrigation problem faced by the affected horticulturists of Ambeshi."