ECOLOGICAL DEBT: A CASE 5 STUDY FROM ORISSA, INDIA

By Sanjay Khatua and William Stanley Integrated Rural Development of Weaker Sections in India

“They [NALCO] told [us]: we will teach you; we will give you jobs; you can wear pants like us, you can comfortably sit like us in chair[s]; you do not bother about any- thing; just give us some land. These people thought that we were illiterates, that we were scared. These people have made us fools. And slowly different factories have come up in our place. What benefi t it has given us? It has only degraded our land, forest, streams, and rain. If we had [an] idea we would not have given land, our forest, our water. We would not have given even a needle- size of land to them”. –Banguru Jani, Adivasi leader in Jhimkiguda

I. INTRODUCTION

he living standards of industrialised Northern countries owe a great deal to the massive fl ow of wealth from the developing countries of TAfrica, Latin America and Asia. That is, the impoverished countries of the South have subsidised and continue to subsidise the rich countries of the North through the provision of raw materials, commodities, labour and other services.

CChapter5(125-168).inddhapter5(125-168).indd 125125 66/17/2006/17/2006 4:05:404:05:40 PMPM CChapter5(125-168).indd 126 h a p t e r 5 ( 1

2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d nrsrcuet oprtos o hsadohrraos td fthe tocorporations. Forinfrastructure thisand otherreasons, astudyof loansallow toprovidethe environment. government subsidies and The developing theregionandcreatingemployment, thoughattheexpenseof incurssubstantialloanswiththe ostensibleobjectivesthe government of components anddimensions. seeks tomineinastate, acorporation When understandingecologicaldebt,itspossible aimsto exploreways of this report OrissainIndia, mininginthestateof By lookingcloselyattheexampleof countries. developing countriesarepaying over andover their again theecologicaldebt.Meanwhile, to acknowledge andmeasurethesizeof have institutionsandgovernments not heldaccountable, yet international are theworld’s wealthiest citizens. Yet notonlyaretheseecologicaldebtors the ecologicaldebt,whilethedebtors are theprincipalcreditorsof market economy. theSouth Critically, itstatesthattheexploitedpeoplesof drivendue toproductionandconsumptionpatterns by theneo-liberalglobal theplanet of their accomplicesintheSouth,forcontinuing destruction responsibility heldby thosewholive inindustrialisedcountries, aswell as intheninetiestorefer tothe organisation South Americannon-government ecologicaldebtwas coinedby a of theconcept thisbackground, Against carbondioxide emissions, whilethepoorestproducesjustthreepercent. of of the energy usedby allhumans. richest theenergy The of allconsumerpurchases. richest The 86 percentof theworld’s populationliving inthehighestincomecountriesmakes percent of (UNDP,According totheUnitedNationsDevelopment Programme 1998),20

1 2 6 Southern countriestofeedtheirpeoples.Southern thecapacityof undermined has greatly basicresourcesandraw materials of countries.from theSouthern drain This resources countries, draw vast levels of people inthose the individual lifestylesof companiesand Northern the activity of countries,in which through theNorthern colonialism, have resultedinasituation European centuriesof of the legacy existing politicalandeconomicstructures, globalresources. Pre- around 75percentof theworld’s population,yetconsumes of comprisesonly25percent North The 126 fi fthalsoproduces53percent fi fth consumes58percent fi nancial debttorich 66/17/2006 4:06:16 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 127 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d fof theissue ecologicaldebtshould have implicationsfordetermining of concept are locatedintheundivided Koraput district which Orissa,allof mining andindustrialbasesinthestateof and forthcoming existing available inIndia.Itfollowed casesof reports ontheminingindustry data,i.e. research, uponsecondary documentation,and studydepended The Methodology debt. theseactivities contributetoecological the relationshipsbetween each of smelters, roads, facilities. railsystemsandport Hencethestudylooks athow call onmanyadditionalindustries, e.g. hydroelectric power projects, re its relationshiptoresourceexploitation.NALCOasaminingcompanymust effects, focusingontheNationalAluminiumLimitedCompany(NALCO) and mining. ItattemptstodescribethewholeminingscenarioinOrissaandits of use patterns, inthecontext impactonnaturalresources andclimatechange affectedcommunities, land studylooksatthelivelihoodsThe andlifestylesof Focus studyalso hasthespeci communities inOrissa.The resource-based ecologicaldebtfromtheperspective of of theconcept of mining,thereby contributingtoabetterunderstanding large-scale costs of elaboratingonthesocialandecological studyhasthebroadaimof The Objective uut20 ttesaecptlo Bhubaneswar toidentifythemainissues. August 2004atthestatecapitalof civil societygroups, activists, researchers and academicson13 consultation of thecasestudywas preceded by a commissioningof were The undertaken. Sukinda Valley andParadeep. inthesecommunities Fieldwork andinterviews and enforcingcompensationrestitution. forseekingredress,debt couldprovide usefulinstruments ecological land, water of andforest,theconcept onlocalresourcesof depends thepopulation Orissa,wheremorethan80percentof In thecontextof ecological debtand both of withinthepurview identifyingtheresponsibleagencies second, of localcommunities, and, on theresourcesbase, livelihood, andcultureof miningandmining-basedindustries exploring thefeltandperceived impact of

1 2 7 fi nancial debt. fi nancial debt. 127 1 , andTalcher-Angul, Sundergarh, fi c objectives of, fi xing accountability, fi neries, fi rst, 66/17/2006 4:06:17 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d Mining India rmtasainlcroain TC)cvrn nae f49,000 km (TNCs)coveringfrom transnationalcorporations anareaof attract foreigncapitalandtechnology. Some34mininginvestment proposals intheminingsectorwere removedforeign equityparticipation inorderto private initiative andinvestment. Between 1994and 1999,restrictionson India’s newNationalMineral Policy,of theminingsectorwas openedto forprospective mining.permission InMarch 1993,withtheannouncement the miningsectorwas liberalised,makingiteasierformine-owners toobtain theIndian economy intoanopeneconomy, of In 1990,withtherestructuring 2,271 were non-metals. these, 563were coal,654were metalsand 1996-97, Indiahad3,488mines. Of minesareprivately owned. By total mineralvalue, even though80percentof thenation’s total industrialoutput.Publicsectorminescomprise91percentof thecountry’s domesticproductand11.5percentof gross for 3.5percentof 01 h he Mnse fOrissa(Patnaik, 2001)noted: Ministerof 2001, theChief During the49thNationalDevelopment CouncilMeetinginNewDelhi Orissa’s economyand burgeoningdebt S grassroots groups andlocalcommunities. groups grassroots weak andtherehasbeennospaceatallforrepresentatives representation, of lobby. hasalways withingovernment environmental had expertise Ingeneral, tothemining themembersbelonged andmost of by theMiningSecretary asthecommitteewas gesture, mining activities chaired was merelyaformal Committeetomonitorandreviewtheenvironmental aspectsof Advisory thenationalApex approved settingupof by The thenationalgovernment.

1 PERSPECTIVE OFORISSA II. MININGANDFINANCIALDEBTFROMTHE 2 8 oa au fUS$23million.Today,total value of itproduces89minerals, accounting mineralswitha plan periodpriorto1950,Indiaproduced24typesof ince 1947,India’s hasshown Inthepre- rapidgrowth. miningindustry hntegot aeo thenationaleconomy. theper While rateof than thegrowth has beenaround2.7percent, which issubstantiallylower the state’s economy duringtheperiodfrom1951to1995 rate of growth assumed seriousproportions. long-term The the statehas economicbackwardness of problemof “The 128 2 were 66/17/2006 4:06:17 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 129 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d development fellfrom12toseven percentinthesameperiod. totalstateexpenditures totwo percent,whilespendingonrural six percentof decreasedfrom to 24percentin2004.Likewise expendituresonagriculture totalstateexpendituresin2000 declinedfrom40percentof social services thisdebt.Consequently, spendingoneducationandother of the servicing theGSDP. Orissa’s revenues went to or 51percentof Almost73percentof March 2001stoodatRs.21,072borrowing. state’s crores The debtstock asof between revenueincreasing gap expenditureandreceiptswas metthrough crores in2001-2002)exceed itsrevenue receipts(Rs.7,511 ever- crores).The interest payment andrepayment liabilitiessinceitstotal(Rs.7,733 2001). Currently, thestatedoesnothave fundstomeetitssalary, pensionand Orissa, 2004): Orissa toraiserevenues. (Government of AccordingtoitsEconomicSurvey theGovernment of thefocusesof In thiscontext,mininghasbecomeoneof Orissa’s mineralbase,productionandexports crores In 2001,Orissa’s revenue de 0preto isbuie n 4preto isca eevs(oeneto (Government of itscoalreserves itsbauxite, and24percentof 50 percentof itsnickel reserves, India’s chromite and95 percentof Orissa has97percentof

1 2 9 3 or 6.5 percent of the gross statedomesticproduct(GSDP) thegross or6.5percentof the willnotonlyimprove different mineralreserves exploitation of not commensuratewiththepotential.Enhanced rateof Orissaisrich inminerals,“Though exploitationis still Orissa”. an intractableproblemforthestateof states. conveys This aclearpicturethatpoverty continues tobe under the]poverty lineforOrissaisthehighestamongallother [peopleliving the sameperiod.Moreso, of thepercentage level, thesamehasdeclinedfrom 48.3to26.1percentduring Orissa,whereasatnational to 47.15percentinthecaseof poverty linehasdecreasedfrom68.6percentduring1972-73 peoplebelow the of percentage period.The the corresponding 65timesfrom Rs.248 toRs.16,047 during shows anincreaseof 46times, thenationalpercapitaincome showing anincreaseof uptoRs.9,162 priceshasgone during1999-2000, at current thestateduringyear1951-52 Rs.200 of capita incomeof generating sizeabledirectandindirectemployment”.generating fi nnilpsto ftheStatebutalsowillbehelpfulin nancial positionof fi cit reached the staggering cit reached thestaggering 129 fi gr fRs.2,573.87 gure of

(Patnaik, 66/17/2006 4:06:18 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d and Rs.7,005 toRs.19,489 million)even forestry asproductionintheagriculture, GSDP(from was inminingand quarrying aphenomenal278percentgrowth Mineral productioninOrissaisincreasing. Between 1993and2003,there Orissa,2005). bauxite, ironore, (Government chromite of andmanganese of 73,910hectareswere inoperation,including theextraction covering anareaof these, 339leases 101,947hectares. Outof numbered 607,covering anareaof miningleasesinthestateby 2004 mining companies. totalnumber of The Mahanadi Coal India, such asNALCO,including publicundertakings SteelAuthority of industrial zonesinIndia.Some370miningcompaniesareactive inOrissa, the14mostpolluted in1857Talcher,Mining inOrissastarted oneof 18mineralsvalued atRs.1,674 millionin1996. of about5,923milliontons of Orissa, 2005).Overall, ithasanestimatedreserve Orissa(2005). of Source: Government Figure 1. Orissa’s mineral reserves (percentage tonationallevel) (percentage 1.Orissa’sFigure mineralreserves Orissa, various inproduction years).Ironoreregisteredthehighest growth 171percentfrom1992-93levels (Government of – anastoundingincrease of mineralsandoreswas 108,283milliontons In 2003-04,totalproductionof Orissa,various years). the sameperiod)(Government of Mineral sand Mineral

1 Pyrophylite Maganese Maganese 3 0 Chromite Chromite Dolomite Graphite fi shing sectorfellby 16percent(fromRs.71,625 toRs.60,866 millionin Iron ore Iron Bauxite Nickel Nickel Coal 04 08 100 80 60 40 20 0 fi elds Limited, Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC),andprivateelds Limited,OrissaMiningCorporation 12.0 21.2 24.4 25.5 32.3 33.9 130 49.7 76.7 97.4 95.1 66/17/2006 4:06:18 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 131 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d Figure 2.Growthinmineralextraction,Orissa,1993-94and 2003-04 Figure ore oeneto Orissa(2005). of Source: Government Orissa, 2003-04 mineralproduction, 3.ContributiontototalvalueFigure of metallic minerals, ninepercent;andnon-metallicminerals, threepercent. mineralsproducedinthecountry, coalcomprises88percent; total value of the percent, respectively. level isquitedifferent: of pictureatthecountry The metallicandnon-metallicmineralsare41percentthree and thesharesof coalis56percent themineralsproducedinOrissa,shareof total value of the the nationaltotal(Rs.625,255 million).Of constituting eightpercentof minerals andoreproductioninOrissawas thehighestincountry, (337%), followed by value chromite (182%)andbauxite(101%).The of Orissa(various years). of Source: Government

100% 200% 300% 400% 1 3 1 Metallic 0% Value of minerals produced in Orissa in 2004: 41% 149% Non-metallic ulMtli Non- Metallic Fuel Coal 3% Rs.51,985 M 255%

Metallic ore 101% 56% Fuel % change in production Bauxite 182% 131 Chromite 337% Value of minerals produced in India in 2004: Iron Metallic 9% 4% Non-metallic Manganese Rs.625,255 M 3% metallic 10% 88% Fuel 66/17/2006 4:06:21 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 132 h a p t e r 5 ( 1

2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d Figure 4. Mineral exports, Orissa,2003-04 4.Mineralexports, Figure (ibid). inmineralexports increase inmineralproductionanda329percentgrowth Orissa, 2004).Overall, thelastdecade(1993-94to2003-04)saw a167percent iron oreconstituted81percent,followed by chromite (15%)(Government of mineralsexported, value, respectively, thetotalquantityof over 1999-2000.Of Rs.11,865 inquantityand a321and206percentgrowth million,representing mineralsandoresvalued at 7.64milliontonsof In 2003-04,Orissaexported ore oeneto Orissa(various years). of Source: Government Orissa,2003-04 andexport, 5.Mineralproduction Figure Orissa(2005). of Source: Government

1 3 2 -40 -20 20 40 60 0 81% Iron Ilmenite 1993-94 3% % Change in Expo rt o ver previo us year us previo ver rt in o %Expo Change year us previo ver no ductio ro in %P Change Change inChange Production Export & of Others

1994-95 1%

1995-96 Quantity Export Chromite

1996-97 15% Minerals 1997-98 132 1998-99

1999-00 72% Iron

2000-01 Ilmenite 5%

2001-02 Others 1% 2002-03 Export 2003-04 Value Chromite 22% 66/17/2006 4:06:24 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 133 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d investments inthelast ranks sixthinforeigninvestment, having attractedRs.973,000 millionin guaranteesandtaxconcessions. statecurrently The of investors intheform subsidiesto Orissaoffersexceptionally huge labour, theGovernment of cheap aluminium andcoal-basedpower projects. Besidestheavailability of India)inmining,steel, Limited,AdityaBirla,andTataInternational Groupof United States, andNALCO, Hindalco, LarsenandToubro, UtkalAluminium the Australia, Vedanta, Sterlite, and Alocoaof (BHP) -BillitonandRioTintoof Switzerland,Broken HillPropriety Canada,AluSussieof Norway, Alcanof France, NorskHydro of (e.g. AluminiumPeshiney of (AP)International With itsabundantnaturalresources, OrissaattractsTNCsandbigbusinesses TNC miningandmining-relatedventuresinOrissa Table 1.G7Investments inOrissathelast ore oeneto Orissa(2004). of Source: Government in Orissa. the state-owned OMConconditionthattheywillsetupaluminiumindustries toprospective itsknown through reserves) entrepreneurs (or nearly60%of bauxite ore leasingoutminescontaining1,000milliontonsof state iscurrently thestate’s known resources).The ironore(orhalf some 1,600milliontonsof projects. Inparticular, 42steel plantsarepoisedtocomeupinOrissa,requiring state inthenext Projects worth Rs.2,500,000 millionareenvisioned tobeimplemented inthe

S US$232million toward theIbValley coal- USA KU$0mlini h prdn ftheHirakudDamandan of US$40millionintheupgrading US$125millionincoalminingexpansion UK analuminiumsmelting Japan of US$607milliontoward theconstruction France

1 3 3 onr Investment inOrissa Country fi sector thepower additional $75milliontoward theprivatisation of plants, andtheAnantacoal mine. complex, NALCO, andIbValley theKaniha coal- additional US$75millionisforthcoming) ve totenyears, themajoritybeingminingandmining-related fi ve years. 133 fi ve years fi red power plant(an fi rd power red 66/17/2006 4:06:26 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 134 h a p t e r 5 ( 1

2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d a .Lcto fmajorminesandalliedindustriesinOrissa Map 1.Locationof and Singa1999. Orissa(various years) of India(2002),Government of Source: Government

1 3 4 Present MajorIndustries M N D K B A P E F L Legends J Aeronautical Industry Aluminium Re Sponge IronPlant Steel Plant Fertilizer Plant Paper Industry Cement Industry Chemical Industry Thermal Power Plant Captive Power Plant Aluminium Smelter& Ferro-alloys Plant fi nery Projects Ongoing MajorMining 6 5 4 2 3 1 9 8 7 Dolomite Limestone Bauxite Manganese Quartz Iron Ore Chromite Graphite Coal 134 of 5000&abovepopulation) above tribalpopulationinpockets Tribal dominatedpockets(50%& population insub-division) Scheduled Area (50%&abovetribal Mangrove Forest Area (58135.5 sq.km) % ofOrissa’s totalForestarea Large Dam&Reservoir Proposed Projects M N Q B 4 7 L Petroleum Re Thermal Power Plant Aluminium Re Sponge IronPlant Steel Plant Iron OreMining Bauxite Mining fi fi nery nery 66/17/2006 4:06:26 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 135 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d fextraction,Orissa of rate atpresent majormineralresources 6.Lifeof Figure Box 1.Mineral-wiseOrissacanbedivided parts intofour h oeneto Orissahasactively promotedtransnationalandnational Government of The Summary ofPart II 166years;bauxite,153 years;manganese, 310years;andcoal,857years. expected tolastasfollows: chromite, 38years;ironore, 120years;graphite, exploitation,Orissa’s areconservatively mineralreserves rateof At thecurrent minerals areexhaustible. Oncethemineraloreisexhausted,companiesleave. topointoutthatinvestmentsIt isimportant inminingareunsustainablesince Orissa (2005). Mining andGeology, of Government of Source: Department

1 3 5

Fuel Metallic mineralsandsandrareearth. of CoastalOrissahasdeposits • Southwest Orissa,which includes Koraput, Bolangir Rayagada, • SukindaValley, Maurbhanjand The of Keonjhar district, part • river Mahanadi,which includes CentralOrissaonthebankof • Chromite (2.9MT) Bauxite (4.9MT) Bauxite Coal (60.20MT) Coal f h axt eoi fthecountry. of thebauxitedeposit of isknow astheBauxiteBelt,havingand Kalahandi, about70% belt. manganese areknown asthechrome, Sundargarh ironoreand of part is located. thecountry of thecoaldeposit coal belt,whereabout1/3of district,isknown asthe Angul, JharsugudaandSundergarh Iron (34.9MT) Iron Manganese (0.7MT) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 38 120 166 No. ofyears likely tocontinue 135 310 857 66/17/2006 4:06:28 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d the Dalits (onetotwo hectares).Among land)orsmallfarmers less thanonehectareof (possessing thetotalfamilieswhoown land,82percentaremarginalfarmers Of livelihood. sourcesof tracts, andforestcollectionaretheprimary rain-fedagriculture land bene the irrigable forlivelihood.mostly onagriculture Of Orissa’s populationlivesareasanddepends intherural Nearly 85percentof fi in areengaged the populationinthesevillages 751,356. About50percentof attemptstorespondthesequestions. thereport of next part Orissa?The costs thatconstituteasocialandecologicaldebttothepeopleof allied activities take intoaccounttheirprofoundsocialandenvironmental Orissa ecologicalandsocialprofile 3,678 inland India’s totalsurfacewater resourceor663,774hectares).Orissahas (11% of thehighestincountry state’sThe estimatedfreshwater resources areoneof km. 480 hillyforest,ithasacoastline of theareaiscomprisedof two-thirds of may bejusti onmineralproductionandallied activities increaseddependence of trajectory the statede minerals have indeedcontributedtostaterevenues thatareneeded tomeet of development productionandexport andemployment The generation. of thestate’s mineralresourcesbasedonthestatedobjectives exploitation of O Given this pro lessthanRs.11,000). anannual income of (or earns familieslive below thepoverty line 80 percent.Atthestatelevel, 47percentof

shing and ancillary activities.shing andancillary

1 FROM THEPERSPECTIVEOFORISSA III. MININGANDECOLOGICAL ANDSOCIALDEBT 3 6 o orpreto tepplto fthecountry. morethan While thepopulationof for fourpercentof India’s landmass;andwith36.71millionpeople, accounts percent of India,comprises coastof thestatesoneastern rissa, oneof 3 , landholdingfamiliesconstitute91percentandamong theAdivasis, fi cit as well as to service thestatedebt.Onsurface, thestate’s cit aswell astoservice fi able. Butisitsustainable?Does therevenue fromminingand fi s igvlae ih1253hueod n ouaino with122,553householdsandapopulationof shing villages fi le, itdoesnotrequireanyacademicdiscussion orcomplex fi facilities. Hence,ts fromirrigation inhillforested 136 fi cially, onlyabout34percentof fi ve ve 66/17/2006 4:06:30 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 137 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d social debt. living alongtheriver, discussedin thesectiononminingand aswillbefurther livelihood of the BramhaniRiver hastremendous implicationsforthe pollutionof The theindustrialbelt. theRengali Damwhich caterstotheneedsof of fl chromium) intheSukindaValley intotheBrahmani. To make mattersworse, downstream, carries toxicdownstream, ef carries themajortributaries industrial activities inDuburi.DamasalaRiver, oneof Bramhani River ispollutedby fromtheSukindabelt and minedischarges Angul-Talcher. Downstream,that travels the throughtheindustrial regionof wastes fromtheAngul-Talcher by itstributary, regionmainlycarried Nandira, fromthecoalbeltsandindustrial increases atthemiddlesectionduetodrainage pollutionlevel theBonai subdivision. The further ore-mining industriesof by theef most pollutedrivers inthecountry. Attheupperreach, theriver ispolluted thetopten themostpollutedrivers inthestateandoneof it isalsooneof miningoperations, large-scale Orissa.Asaresultof riverthe secondlargest of equity laiddown by theSupremeCourt. inter-generational few generations, isviolatingtheprincipleof thegovernment state’s mineralresources. toexhaustresourcesina Byallowing mininggroups huad f dvss tdpie uuegnrtoso thebene Adivasis. Itdeprives of futuregenerations thousands of lifeof thewayhabitats, of mininginOrissahasdisplacedandundermined development. andadeclineinwildlife Besidescausingdrastic climaticchanges By 2008,this theworld’syears. Presently, gases. greenhouse thestateemitsonepercentof intensifyincoming mining andindustrialactivities thatareexpectedtofurther Orissa’s environment andsocialfabricareseverely threatenedby large-scale available inthestate’s ecologicalniches. today have theirlivelihood earned basedonthemultiple productsandservices thecommunities till Orissa,mostof analysis toestablishthat,inthecaseof h rmai ihacthetae f39,000km Bramhani,withacatchment area of The Pollution oftheBramhaniRiver The ecologicaldebt

oodwater hasbeenreducedintheBramhaniRiver following theconstruction

1 3 7 fl unso Rourkela SteelPlant,Rourkela Fertilizer Plantandtheiron uents of fi fi gure isexpectedtorise semnadfresa ela h elho communities aswell asthehealthof andfarmers shermen fl uents fromchromium mining(mainlyhexavalent 137 fi v ecn ttecretrt f rateof ve percentatthecurrent 2 adalnt f701km,is andalengthof fi t fthe ts of 66/17/2006 4:06:30 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d Map 2.MajorminingindustriesintheBramhaniRiver Basin ore oeneto Orissa(various years) andSinha(1999). of Source: Government

1 3 8 138

Major Mining, Dams & Industries in Brahmani basin Legend D1 : Mandira dam on Sankha river, Sundargarti dist. P6 : Orissa Synthetic Ltd, Odapada Block, Dhonkanal D2 : Rengali dam, Rengali M1 : Iron Ore Mining Area of Bana subdivision P1 : Steel Plant & Captive Power Plant (Barasuan, Koida, Jamda, etc) 1 & 2, Rourkela M2 : Coal mining area, Talcher P2 : Fertilizer Plant, Rourkela M3 : Chromite mining area, Sukinda valley P3 : National Thermal Power Corp, Kaniha : Major affected area (water not for P4 : Talcher Thermal Power Station, Talcher irrigation/human/livestock consumption, P5 : Aluminum Smelter & Coal based Captive mangroves in coastal cyclone prone Power Plant, NALCO, Angul areas affected 66/17/2006 4:06:31 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 139 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d the aluminium industry andclimate change the aluminiumindustry about facts Orissa,bauxitemining,Box 2.Someimportant emissions. gas greenhouse sources of Rengali, UpperKolab, Machkund andBalimela) thatarenow known tobe alsodraws poweraluminium industry frommulti-purpose damprojects(e.g. intheearth’s change” will contributetoa“perpetual atmosphere. Orissa’s emissions, which, becausetheycanstay intheatmospherefor10,000years, and hexha agents,will releasetoxic tetra andpotentglobalwarming the nextdecade. Moreover, itisestimatedthatOrissa’s aluminiumindustries anticipatedgloballyover gases inman-madegreenhouse projected growth the aboutthreepercentof annually by theyear2005,orequivalent of coal- global emissions. pointsoutthatOrissa’s studyfurther The industries and emissionsfromOrissamake upnearlyonepercentof gas greenhouse According toastudyby theInstituteforPolicy Studies(Wysham, 2003), Climate changeandnaturaldisasters 00ad20,floe yproso massive 2000 and2002,followed by periods of treecoverinfrastructure, and communication systems. in Droughtsoccurred 10,000 peopledeadandcausing extensive to houses, damage livestock, crops, unprecedented severity rippedthroughcoastalOrissa,leaving a cycloneof 2,000people. In1999, state. In1998,aheatwave resultedinthedeathsof the theWestern districtsof waves anddroughtsthatarearegularfeatureof haunted by naturaldisasters, includingcyclones, surges, heat tornados, storm emissionsfrom aluminiumandotherindustries,gas Orissahasbeenfrequently accelerated climatechange, isinducedby which, greenhouse inturn, Because of

1 3 9 I 95 ,6 eaat fcoal- In1995,2,466megawatts of • world’s bauxiteproductsinOrissa:10%. of percentage The • IndianbauxiteresourceslocatedinOrissa: of percentage The • coalproduced inOrissaandconsumed of percentage The • • Ongoing smelter construction by NALCOandotherswill increase smelterconstruction Ongoing • AluminiumsmeltersinOrissaconsumepower equivalent to • fi rdpwrpat ilb mtig14mlintn fcarbondioxide red power plantswillbeemitting164milliontonsof 50%. alumina companies:33%. captive coal- 515,000 householdsintheUnitedStateforoneyear. NALCO andINDALCO. itwas consumedby two aluminiumsmelters: Orissa and1/3of fl carbondioxide uoroethane, equivalent toeightmilliontonsof fi red power consumptionto1,680megawatts. 139 fi red power was producedin fl ooding in2001 and2003. fl uorothemethane 66/17/2006 4:06:32 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d land, including1.6lakh their in Koraput districtalone, over 100,000Adivasis were dispossessedof Another study(Fernandes andRaj,1993,citedinSainath,1996)contendsthat Adivasi landwas losttonon-Adivasis over a25-30yearperiod. of over half Orissa,namelyDhenkanal,Ganjam,Koraput andPhulbani, four districtsof theirlands. Astudypointsoutthatin have beenhistoricallydispossessed of tribalpeoples,indigenous Dalitsandothermarginalisedcommunities who themAdivasis or people, manyof thousandsof meant theuprootingof multi-purpose power projectshave of industriesandtheconstruction huge miningcompaniesandother government-supported of In Orissa,theentry a developmentphenomenon Dispossession oflandanddisplacement– The socialdebt andincreasedindebtedness.migration drought,especiallyintheWestern districts, are theadverse effectsof Some of Displaced peopleliving inslumcolonies. people thatessentiallyerodedtheirculturesandfacilitatedassimilationinto schemes fordisplaced Orissaestablishedtransmigration Government of The anymeaningfulrehabilitationcontributedtolandalienation. absenceof The them adivasi, were displaced. the districtpopulation,amajorityof Morethansixpercentof their survival.

1 4 0 7 hcae fforestonwhich for theyhaddepended hectaresof 140 66/17/2006 4:06:32 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 141 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d h reigadseiscmoiino the breedingandspeciescompositionof and Bhadrak.However, miningandindustrialef while production has gone up,while productionhasgone presumablydueto increased mechanisation. majorminerals hasfallensubstantially,workers employed in theminingof coalandbauxite, thenumber of fell by 20percent.Except inthecaseof workers directlyemployed areas declinedby 11percent,andthenumber of Orissadecreased by 14percent,mining mines in thestateof the number of mineralswent upby 121percent.However, 1990-91 to2000-01,theoutputof employment.to generate Reality, however, provides adifferentpicture. From thegovernment’s statedreasonsforopeninguptheminingsectoris One of Increase ofemploymentthroughmining: amyth forests intheestuarineregion. Bramhani was thelifelineforinland decreased considerablyduetothepollutedwater. About40 yearsago, the were andpaddycultivation foundtocontainchrome poison.Sugarcane have with thewater. paddyandleafyvegetables IntheDamsalaBasin,harvested pestsbecomingresistanttopesticidesaftercomingincontact of even reports treeswhich cameincontactwiththispollutedwater.fruit-bearing are There toseasonalcropsand damage of arereports Orissa.There Bhadrak districtsof throughtheAngul,Dhenkanal,Jajpur and running farms for thousandsof aswell assoilnutrition irrigation Brahmani River istheprimesource of mainly non-Adivasis. About500,000people, profound impactsonthelivelihood of due toef Orissa’s water sources, theBrahmaniRiver, particularly contaminationof The from theforestbeforetheirdisplacement. theirfoodhad come produce fortheirsustenance:morethan50percentof livelihood. Adivasis have onnon-wood traditionallydepended forest of theirsources effectivelypower purposes generation-related deprived themof theirlandsformining,industrialand the forestforcenturies, thetakeover of Orissaandotherpeoplewho have reliedon For Adivasis inthedistrictsof Loss ofsourceslivelihoodandsustenance and skillstraining. education mainstream consumer-oriented societythroughindustry-friendly rivers alsoaffects the lost theirlivelihoods pollutionof ormigrants. The earners intodailywage

1 4 1 fi were affected.The comprising1,800villages andfarmers, shermen fl uents comingfromminingandotherindustrialprojects, alsohad fi s reigi h ot ftheregionandmangrove sh breedinginthemouthof 141 fi semno Angul,Dhenkanal,Jajpur of shermen fi shes, turning shes,turning fl uents have adversely affected fi shermen whohave shermen 66/17/2006 4:06:33 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 142 h a p t e r 5 ( 1

2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d ore oeneto Orissa(various years). of Source: Government ls hnbt h ainladsaeaeae) h rvso fminimum (less thanboththenational andstateaverages). provision of The Ridden withhealthproblems, theiraverage lifespanisbetween 40 and45years accident-prone workplaces andsub-humanliving conditions(i.e. slums). Wage (perhaps15yearsold),endurehardwork, atanearlyage labourersstart labourersinminingareashasbeenincreasing. wage informal the number of topoint outthatwhileemployment ratesoverallIt isimportant have decreased, only 1.6workers areemployed. landthatismined, provide alternative employment. For one hectareof every orforestcollection, ithasfailedto eke outtheirliving throughrain-fedfarming manycommunities who Thus, whilemininghasdestroyed thelivelihood of Table Orissa,1997-98 andemploymentbyregion, 3.Miningarea Orissa, 1990-91/2000-01 Table andemploymentbymineral, 2.Production ore oeneto Orissa(various years). of Source: Government

udrah1 (11%) (27%) (55%) (28%) 3% 200% 0% (31%) (6%) 1% 39% (4%) (6%) 3283% 5% 8.5% 9% 45% Sundargarh Nuapada Mayurbhanj Keonjhar Kalahandi Jharsuguda Cuttack Bolangir Angul ol14 8 8% (96%) (61%) 49% (20%) 38% (70%) (44%) (1%) (21%) (67%) 42% 194% 57% 106% Limestone (49%) (17%) 16% Graphite (11%) 0% Coal 71% Bauxite Chromite Manganese Iron ore 1 4 2 iea Growth in Mineral ein Growth inMining Region Production Area 142 Growth inMining Area Growth inEmployment employment Growth in 66/17/2006 4:06:33 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 143 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d workers, especiallywomen andchild labourers, have nooptionbuttodepend toworkershealth obligations andlocalcommunities. contract Unorganised regular companyemployees only. Manyprivate miningcompaniesareviolating provided by publicsectorcompanieshaveHealth services beenlimitedto as theplantsdecrease, Baidasareslowly shiftingtoother occupations. be aBaida(traditionalAyurvedic doctor)providing traditionaltreatments. But strong linked totheforests. Untilrecently, Adivasi inevery therewould village peoplesthatare indigenous traditionalhealthpracticesof relatedly, thelossof peoplesasmedicineand, precious herbalplantsthatareusedby indigenous Keonjhar district,SimilipalandtheSighumbeltand, therefore, thelossof forests inGadhamardanthe of Mining hasresultedinthedestruction in thisregionsufferfromstomach andskindiseases. Jajpur. dispensaries patientsingovernment Reportedly,blocks of 85percentof as well asinDamasala,Rasulpur, andtheBinjharpur Bari,Sukinda,Danagadi, theDhenkanaldistrict Dhenkanal Sadar, Bhuban,andtheGondiablock of Parajanga, Kamakhyanagar, stomach commonintheareasof problemsvery diseases, malaria,toothdiseases, eyeinfection,fever, jaundice, intestinal and In particular, thepollutedBrahmaniRiver anditstributarieshave madeskin dual responsibilitiesinthehouseholdandworkplace. (10 to12hours)perday imposeadditionalhealthstrainsonwomen whohave safedrinkingwater andhousinglongworking hours mining areas. Lack of than 15to20years. infantmoralityrateisalsohigherthaninothernon- The the nationalaverage inminingareas. Miningworkers usuallywork fornomore Orissa’s peoplesisbelow community organisers, theaverage lifeexpectancyof communities isdramatic. Accordingto miningonthehealthof impactof The Adverse effectsonhealth Development Report). thetotalBPLfamilies(Orissa mined districtsconstitute44to82percentof from49to85percent.Adivasidistricts range andDalitfamiliesinthemost 78percent,familiesliving below thepoverty line(BPL)inthemostmined of Koraput, thestateaverage arealsothepoorest districts inthestate. Against Jajpur, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanja, Dhenknal,Angul,Jharsuguda,Sundergarh, Orissathatarethemostmined,namely,Perhaps notsurprisingly, thedistrictsof Heightened poverty labourers aresimplyavoided. wages, towage gender-equitable wages, housing,health,andeducationservices

1 4 3 143 66/17/2006 4:06:34 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d the local communities in Orissa. In the next part of the report, acloserlookis thereport, of the localcommunities inOrissa. Inthenextpart ecological debtowedimpacts onhealth,these costs comprisethegeneral to water sourcesanditsadverse sustenancetothecontaminationof sources of peoplesfromtheir thousandsof tensof Ranging fromthedisplacementof Adivasis. local communities inOrissa,especiallyon ecologicalandsocialburdensonthe huge revenues anddevelopment –have imposed higher Orissainthenameof Government of by theIndianGovernment aswell asthe power projects–thatarebeingpromoted Mining andrelatedindustries, including Summary ofPart III facilities.and infrastructures healthworkers of poor duetotheshortage which arenotoriously the conditionsof publichealthcentres, on government-run o .Dcmne mat fminingonhealth Box 3.Documentedimpactsof

1 4 4 Chromiumandhexavalent chromium, which hascontaminated • Teei lomr niec ftuberculosisamongthe isalsomoreincidenceof There • have studiesandsurveys revealed thatminingworkers Anumber of • Red mud, which isproducedwhenbauxiteprocessedinto • air, health water andlandaffects respiratory Coaldustpollutionof • compounds leadtoin these Orissa’s foodchain, aretoxic andexposuretoeitherof and thermal power produces and thermal ieokr fOrissa. mineworkers of and communities living aroundminingareasareexposedtosilica. nickel, amongothers, causesskindiseases. alumina andwhich containsironoxides, silica,zinc, phosphorus, coalforre threedistricts. of Burning insixblocks of villagers Orissa,which cover abouttwo hundred in coalminingareasof women’s healthinparticular. passages. Hexavalent chromium isknown toadversely affect tractsandnasal respiratory ulcers aswell of asmarked irritation fl amto n riaino eyes, peptic of ammation andirritation 144 fl y ashwhich contains Mining-related skindiseases. Mining-related fl orosis. fi ning 66/17/2006 4:06:34 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 145 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d aluminium smelter bauxitemine,aluminarefineryand NALCO’s taken at the operations of a particular miningandaluminiumcompany. aparticular taken attheoperationsof T Thermal PowerThermal Projectwas partly bauxite oreattractive foraluminium re aluminiummakes Indian therich itsAustralian contentof counterpart, that of ores inIndiaareharderandhave ahigherstrippingratiowhencomparedwith bauxite Orissa(Angul).While bauxiteore, andinNorthern million tonsof Orissa,which possess310 GhatsinAdivasithe Eastern areas(Koraput) of ot atclrytecntuto fthere of theconstruction cost, particularly thecompanyisRs.1300 originalproject million.The authorisedcapitalof The possible forNALCOtoproducehighqualityaluminiumatlow cost. India’s bauxitemakes it lowmillion tonsperannum. silicacontentof The 4.8 miningrateof 370 milliontonsareexpectedtolast75yearsatcurrent annum. Itfeedsoretothealuminare 4.8milliontonsper open castbauxitemineinPanchpatmali, withacapacityof France. Since1985,NALCOoperatesafullymechanised of AP International Technical know-how andbasicengineeringfortheprojectwere suppliedby equity. created outof NALCO claimsatpresentthatitisa“zerodebt-company”except fordebt 1998and 30September asof loan, totallingUS$1.755billion,hasbeenrepaid entireforeigncurrency India.The by equitysubscribedby Government of bankers, international French creditfacilitiesandpartly of from aconsortium alumina, the Built in1986,there at thealuminiumsmelterinAngul. ot AC a opee h xaso fthealuminiumre Port. NALCOhascompletedtheexpansion of tooverseasexported markets, mainlyFrance, throughtheVisakhapatnam which 479,620tonswere 2000 forthecompany’s smelterinAngul,outof aluminapowder in1999- tons perannum each, producing886,000tonsof

1 IV. ECOLOGICAL NALCO’S ANDSOCIALDEBT 4 5 ulccmayt xli ag eoiso bauxitediscovered in of deposits a publiccompanytoexploitlarge multi-locational aluminiumcomplexthatwas in1981as incorporated he NationalAluminiumCompanyLtd.(NALCO)isanintegrated fi n ht odrta osit h aigo aluminiummetal ne whitepowder intothemakingof thatgoes fi nr a he aallsraswt aaiyo 525,000 hasthreeparallelstreamswithacapacityof nery fi nanced by external commercial borrowings commercialborrowings nanced by external 145 fi nery inDamanjodi, which out churns nery fi ning. NALCO’s of bauxitereserves fi andtheTalchernery Super fi nery from nery 66/17/2006 4:06:35 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 146 h a p t e r 5 ( 1

2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d re NALCO alumina The re The year.is expectedtobereached duringthecurrent 1,575,000tons 800,000 tonsto1,050,000tons. plannedcapacitylevel The of rolled productsunitissettoproducefoilstock, canstock, cablewraps, the capacityisbeingexpandedto460,000tonsperannum. Anexport-oriented located atAngulinOrissaandhasbeenoperationsinceearly1987.Presently, 345,000tons perannum, NALCO’s aluminiumsmelteris With acapacityof Kolab reservoir, which isabout8kmfromtheplant. subsistence farming. Water for there peoplesfor landtractsusedbyand ashpondswere indigenous earlierlarge anddisplacedmorethan50,000people. re 57 villages The power was derived fromamajorhydroelectric power projectwhich submerged causing severe environmental degradation. When NALCOwascausing severe When environmental degradation. peopleand elsewhere inOrissa(Dhenkanaldistrict),displacingthousandsof 32megawatts. For captive power, itsactualneedof as against coalismined Hills, Damanjodi. NALCO inPanchamatli miningarea

1 fi 4 nery inDamanjodi. nery 6 fi 55.5megawatts hasacaptivenery power plantwithacapacityof 146 fi and re NALCO power plant plantisdrawn fromtheUpper nery conveyor belt,Damanjodi. NALCO minetore fi nery inDamanjodi. nery fi fi nery nery nery’s “redmud” fi rst established, 66/17/2006 4:06:35 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 147 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d Talcher coal 3.5 millionstonsperannum, issuppliedtothecaptive power plantsfromthe 120megawatts. Coal,amounting to captive power plantcontaining6units of standard sheets, coilsandotheraluminiumproducts. smelterplanthasa The NALCO power plantinAngul. Box 4. Aluminium: where it comes from, where itgoes where Box itcomesfrom, 4.Aluminium:where based energy producersintheMiddleEast. based energy cents) asopposedtoUS$2centsperkilowatt-hour forthelow costfossilfuel- power works outtoRs.0.5 perkilowatt-hour (US$1.1 itsbauxite. costof The of coal)andthehighquality low costcaptive power (accesstocheap sourceof of aluminiummainlyonaccount thelowest cost producers of NALCO isoneof

1 4 7 bauxite, re threeprocesses:miningthe Aluminium productionconsistsof Huge bauxite reserves, onebilliontons,Huge inOrissaand were unearthed producing aluminiumis25-30percentcheaper. theworld average and cheap. of Miningbauxite inIndiacostsaquarter cheaper; and,three, electricityand,crucially, labourin Indiaisrelatively Indian bauxiteisclosetothesurface, which makes access easierand which translatesintolower power consumptioninsmelting;two, standards duetomultiple factors:one, Indianbauxite islessimpure, processesareinexpensive These inIndiacomparedtointernational bauxite. aluminaneedsthree tons of aluminaandeach tonof of aluminiumneedstwo tons aluminium. InIndia,producingatonof fi edo MCL. eld of fi ning thebauxitetoalumina,andsmelting aluminatomake 147 66/17/2006 4:06:40 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 148 h a p t e r 5 ( 1

2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d a dust fromNALCO’s aluminium smelterinAngulpolluteswater bodieswithin into Kolab River by adrainpassingthroughninevillages. Futhermore, (Mankame andPabst, 2004).NALCO’s bauxitere Control Boardthatheavy monsoonswillnotleadto anover theStatePollution contrasttostatements of isinsharp This pond occurred. into theirstreamsandrivers. Indeed,on31December2000,abreach intheash that whenever itrains bothpondsover have ashpond.Villagers ashisdumpedintoaseparate complained generated theNALCOplantaremetby coalpower stations. The requirements of water isunavoidable. ground Moreover, power thehuge contamination of lining preventing the“redmud” intothesoil,indicatingthat fromseeping NALCO’s impervious aluminaplantdidnothave theobligatory mud” pondof ponds, percolatesintothesoil.Basedon by-product,mud”. whetheritisdumpedintotheminedareasorsealed This NALCO’s bauxiteandaluminare overflows Pollution ofriversandstreams:“red mud”andashpond ecologicaldebt NALCO’s Source: PUDR(2005).

1 fi 4 ve kilometre-radiusinnearby 30villages. 8 signi AndhraPradeshin1995,makingIndiaafairly of contiguous parts links toglobalisedproductionprocessesandmarkets. foreigncompaniestofacilitatedeeper huge of intensify withtheentry will expected tojumpsix-foldamilliontonsyearby 2010.This In thecomingyears, itis moreIndianaluminiumwillbeexported: andaircraft. indefenceweaponry also usedhugely Aluminiumis andtransportation. consumed by thepackaging industry thealuminiumworldwide andinthedeveloped world is Over half intheUSandEurope. 25-30 kilograms inJapan lowperson peryear–isvery comparedto15kilograms and India’s per aluminiumdemand–6lakhtonsin2004,or0.6kilograms exported. meets domesticdemandand1.65lakhtonsarecurrently aluminium production–over 7lakhtonsin2003–alreadycomfortably the known bauxitereserves, hasaboutthreebilliontonsof India currently fi fhlreti h ol,nal 0preto itinOrissa.India’s intheworld, fth largest nearly60percentof fi cant player inthebauxiteandaluminiummarket worldwide. fi nery leaves nery atoxic residualknown as“red 148 fi fl eld visits, thatthe“red itwas observed ow andtheirtoxic materialisspilled fi releaseswaste water nery fl o ftheponds ow of fl uoride 66/17/2006 4:06:40 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 149 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d opn bandaon 000arso land –much morethanwhatit company obtainedaround 10,000acresof theinfamousLandAcquisition Act,the Through needs specialpermission. NALCO islocatedintheso-called“VSchedule” area forwhich landacquisition Dispossesion oflandanddisplacement socialdebt NALCO’s agent. dioxide asaglobalwarming tetra of carbondioxide level) (equivalent and0.5kg to9,000timesthenormal tons of 12-18 aluminiumproducedby NALCOgenerates tonof Every generation. power highelectricityrequirementsmetby thermal temperatures becauseof Bauxite re Climate change Source: MankameandPabst (2004). NALCO mud” pond, Damanjodi. “red Box inNALCO’s 5.Accident:Breach ashpond

1 4 9 and Rs.6.5 lakhtowards houses. damaged crop million); Rs.46 of lakhto630personstowards thedestruction aroundRs.1 of: Rs.30,000 peracreforliftingashfromland(atotalof cropswere destroyed. NALCOprovided minimalcompensation of Jajpur, in thedistrictof Nandira.Down stream, ash)thatcovered theshoresof metric tonsof in Damanjodicreatedan“ash NALCO’s 800acre-ashpond On 31December2000,abreakdown of villages. Morethan50cattlewere washed 773familiesin23 affecting atotalof Angul districtwere submerged, by ash fl uoromethane, which isupto9,500timesmorepotentthancarbon fi fl rising aluminiumareacauseof ning andproductionof oods intheBrahmaniandKharasrotaRivers. Ten in villages fi ve were affected lakhpeoplein166villages fl ood” (equivalent toa 149 NALCO ash pond,Damanjodi. away away n ude facres and hundredof fl o f5,000 ow of 66/17/2006 4:06:41 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 150 h a p t e r 5 ( 1

2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d Box 6.NALCO’s landacquisition andfuelmaterials. roof the areaforhygienic needsand thecollectionof including food,especiallyduringleanseasons. hadused Morethan70villages theirneeds ontheforestformanyof areahaddepended in thesurrounding forestwhich theyreliedonfor theirlivelihood andsustenance. villages The of theirland,including400,000acres around onelakhadivasis were deprived of themarket price. Accordingtoone estimate, were acquiredforathrow of peoples theindigenous publicpurpose, landsof years). Underthenotionof thelandhasnotbeenutilisedinlast25 requires (morethan60percentof NALCO issuedthe 9,700 people. 1,940familiesor –atotalof around 53villages resulted inthedislocationof (or around21,625people)were displaced.Finally, thecompany’s coalmines 4,323families in DamanjodiandsmelterAnguldirectlyaffected81villages: NALCO’s re toscheduled of tribesorcastes.belonged construction The families, respectively, them orsome52,271persons, morethan50percentof and theTalcher Power SuperThermal Project,displaced13,095and1,300 related totheminingandaluminiumcomplex,namelyUpperKolab Dam 19,658householdsor83,586people. Damandpower projects comprised of its establishmentinKoraput districtin1981have displacedsome 353villages noexactdataexists,While itisestimatedthatNALCO’s overall operationssince money fortheirland.Slowly thedisplacedpeoplesettleddown todemanding relocation, including decentjobsandgood had promisedthedisplaced villagers Initially, theprojectitself. However, displacedpeopleagitatedagainst NALCO andotherneeds. forsubsistencefarming depended land, uponwhich landlessvillages andvillage resources (CPR)orgovernment for pattalandalone. Nocompensationwas paidforcommunity property Rs.148,73,474.52 was paidascompensation land.Atotalof acquisition of a timelagof August 1981intheOrissaGazetteExtraordinary. Inmanycasestherewas

1 5 0 lands.percent were agricultural landsforwhichgovernment nocompensationwas paid;another41 acres foratownship and6,993acresfortheplants. 41percentwere landacquired,427acreswere formines, 2,639 the10,059acresof of which 4,352acreswere private lands. Out land,outof 10,059 acresof To setuptheminesandre fi ve totenyearsbetween the fi rst noti rst fi cation forlandtake over inDamanjodion12 fi nery complex,thecompanyhadacquired nery 150 fi rst announcementand the fi nery nery fi nal 66/17/2006 4:06:43 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 151 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d

1

5 Map 3. NALCO Impact Assessment Map, Orissa 1

Uper Kolab Dam Mega –Hydro - 320 MWs Villages displaced – 206 Families displaced – 13095 Population displaced - 50771 Land acquired – 30525 Acres Private Lands – 21870 Acres NALCO Coal Mine Government Lands – 8655 NALCO OPERATIONS Villages affected – 53 Villages displaced – 353 Families displaced – 1940 Families displaced – 19658 Population displaced - 9700 Land acquired – 508 Acres Uper Kolab –NALCO Water Mining Population displaced - 83586 Ash and Red Mud Ponds Land acquired – 48,673.52 Acres Private Lands – 33,447.73Acres Govt. Lands – 14,717.79 Acres

151 NALCO Bauxite Mining - Damanjodi External Debt – US$1.755 Billion NALCO Water Mining Talcher Super Thermal Power Project NALCO Captive Power-plant – 55 MWs Villages displaced – 13 Damanjodi Families displaced – 1300 Population displaced - 1500 Land acquired – 3614 Acres NALCO Refinery - Damanjodi Private Lands – 1151.52 Acres Villages displaced – 40 Government Lands – 2462.48 Acres Families displaced – 1697 External Debt – US$775 Million Population displaced - 8485 Land acquired – 10058.70 Acres Private Lands – 7086.40 Acres NALCO Smelter and Government Lands – 2972.30 Acres Captive Power Plant - 600 MWs - Angul External Debt – US$980 Million Villages displaced – 41 Families displaced – 2626 Population displaced - 13130 Land acquired – 3967.82 Acres Private Lands – 3339.81 Acres Government Lands – 628.01 Acres 66/17/2006 4:06:43 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 152 h a p t e r 5 ( 1

2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d and agricultural purposes.and agricultural freely, which was enoughtosatisfy theirdailyrequirementsforbothdomestic up. Beforetheirdisplacementtheyhadusedthespringwater intheirvillages season thewater situationwould worsen, asthewater inthewells would dry theirown resources. complainedthatinthedry They two morewells outof NALCO hadonlyprovided threewells formorethan500families. People built drinkingwater was inadequate: At therehabilitationcolony, the supplyof farmland. rooms, butno oneandahalf received Rs.3000/acre, onehouseconsistingof 5-15members training. Overall, familyconsistingof every due tolack of years these employees eventually losttheirjobsinNALCOacoupleof theemployees were women. Manyof and 168,othercastes. Onlyeightof these, 35were Dalits;149,Adivasis; paid positions(e.g. drivers, Of diggers). theirland.Some352familieswere offeredonejobeach, especiallyinlow of relocated intheAnalabadicolony, were forwhich deprived Analabadivillagers 597familiesthatwere initiallyoustedfromDamanjodi,441were Out of received anycompensation. shifted toanewarea.Withoutanyagitation,displacedpeoplewould have not thatwere mostactivethe villages intheagitation:thesecommunities were projectauthoritiescompromisedwith thedemandswere met. The some of for thepromisedreparations. agitationpersistedforseveral The monthsuntil Threatened sacred grove inDamanjodi. sacred Threatened

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 153 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d on theirtraditionalcultureisdisappearing. based during therelocation.Asaconsequence, support theAdivasi structural Adivasi councils, which were disrupted norconsidertheneedsof grounds) religious worship (sacredgroves) andancestrallinks(e.g. cremationorburial Finally, theresettlementareadidnotprovide fortraditionaladivasi placesof measures fromNALCO. decentjobs, adequateshelter, facilitiesandhumanresourcedevelopment of their landsandhomes, neitherhave theyreceived justcompensationinterms jobsinthefuture. Notonly,securing good therefore, have displacedpeoplelost theirchildren, impairingtheirchildren’s the longdistancetravels of chances of displaced familiesliving inthecolonycouldnotaffordcostsinvolved in the education, studentshadtotravel longdistancestoothertowns. Mostof school intherehabilitationcolony. isonlyaprimary There To continue their oreo livelihood, asfollows: source of smelters hadthefollowing negative themajor consequences onagriculture, thestudy, by NALCO’s thepollutiongenerated of visited aspart re To make mattersworse, accordingtothelocalcommunities inOrissathatwere was anobvious consequence. displacedpeople NALCO incalculatingcompensation.Impoverishment of their subsistenceneeds. factorswere not taken These intoconsiderationby tothecommunity,services resourcesfor andrelyingoncommunity property socio-economicsystem,providing avariety therural of of part an integral society,In thetraditionalvillage casteswhich didnotown landwere also around them. madeaccessible tothepeople:fenceswerespecies), thesewere built nolonger commercial of trees(particularly thousandsof involving theplantingof schemehas dwindled.AlthoughNALCOanenvironmental regeneration non-wood forestproducethatsustainedthemespeciallyduringleanmonths, no recompensewas paidatall,theforest,uponwhich peoplefellback for theirlands, resourcesforwhich includingcommunity property the lossof Even asdisplacedpeople, primarily Adivasis, were notjustlycompensatedfor Loss ofsourceslivelihoodandsustenance involve themindecision-makingprocesses. NALCO didnotconsulttheaffectedpeopleandcommunities; much less Needless tosay, duringtheentiredisplacementandrehabilitationprocess,

1 5 3 Do nhreti 0 ce fcultivable landduetotheef in300acresof Dropinharvest • 153 fi neries and fl uents; 66/17/2006 4:06:46 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d Box 8.Impactonwomen edsi,adohrsmtm fdead skin,andothersymptomsof Angul, Orissasufferfrombrittlebones, toothandgumdiseases, lumpsof NALCO’s aluminiumsmelterin living inthevicinityof found thatvillagers inKoipasimosquitoes: manyvillagers sufferfrommalaria.Ithasalsobeen for is creatingadampenvironment thatconstitutesabreedingground Local communities inOrissahave complainedthatNALCO’s ashpond Adverse effectsonhealth smelter plant,

1 5 4 upper casteviewsthatwomen’s roleislimited tothehome. While which arerootedinpatriarchal middle-class and market –bothof labour themintheformal continued discrimination against because of theirlower literacyratesand anyskilledjobsbecauseof unable toget In theresettlementareasprovided by NALCO, displaced women were theirsocialstatus on menandundermining produce inthemarkets, thereby increasingtheireconomicdependence cash incomessincewomen able tosellextrafarm were nolonger the NALCOprojectalsomeantadecreaseinwomen’s (alreadylimited) Adivasi landsby thesetasks.for women takeover toperform The of NALCO’s activities have madeitmoredif water sourcesresultingfrom theforestandcontamination of of anincreaseindomesticwork hourssincethedisappearance reported food,fodder, fuelandwater for theirfamilies. Manywomen haveof than mensinceitistheirresponsibilitytoensuretheregularsupply For one, women onnon-wood aremoredependent forestproduce related activities. environmental burdenswroughtby NALCO’s miningandmining- Adivasi women affectedby were thesocialand disproportionately • Damage toteak,mango, Damage eucalyptusandothercropsinKulada, • Dmg n80arso pdycosad50arso paddycrops paddycropsand500acresof in800acresof Damage • duetopollution-induceddysentery; cattleandgoats Lossof • tostoredpotato, amongothers, Damage ginger, due arum, turmeric, • probleminmillets, ginger, Germination andtumeric; • Gadarkhai, Tulasipal, leakon02August 2005. andBandaduetoagas 2004,respectively;October 1999and13September and in Tulasipal andLanguliabedhaduetopoisonous to increaseintemperature; fl ourosis didnotoccurintheseareas. fl urss eoeteetbiheto the uorosis. Beforetheestablishmentof 154 fi cult andtime-consuming fl uoride leakson29 66/17/2006 4:06:46 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 155 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d Summary ofPart IV A thecompany’s operations. total displacementasaresultof peoplewhosuffered thousandsof tothetensof ecological debtparticularly and well-being. Itcanbesaid,therefore, thatNALCOowes atremendous theiroverall livelihood, health and undermining destroying theirsourcesof been affectedby itsactivities, taking itspromisestothelocalcommunities thathave NALCO broke manyof bringing development totheregion.However, closerstudyhasrevealed that Orissa, isamulti-awarded companythatbeenhailedas export-oriented bauxiteminingandaluminium companies in thebiggest NALCO, oneof Source: MMP(2003).

1 REFINERY PROJECTS INORISSA V. FORTHCOMING BAUXITE MININGAND 5 5 re ofe h eto theirfamilies. order tofeedtherestof jobs. Itisnotunknown foradvisasiwomen themselves in tostarve and/or restrictingtheirwork poorlycompensated tounskilled,very forwomen,economic opportunities forcingthemtoremainathome cultureintheresettlement areasonlylegitimisesthedenialof of since theirlandandforestswere occupiedby NALCO. change The Overall, Advisasiwomen have anddignity losttheirindependence intake. by displacementandaneweconomy throughheightenedalcohol caused women asmenattempttocopewiththetensionanddisruption violenceagainst increasedincidenceof Finally, of therearereports privacy,greater thanmen. also causedproblemsmainlyforwomen, who, tobeginwithrequire sanitationandhygiene facilitiesinresettlementareas absenceof The economy.low-paid andinsecurejobsintheinformal offered mainlytomen.Asaresult,women foundthemselves invery NALCO initiallypromisedonejobperdisplacedfamily, thesewere UAIL projects. projects beingplannedin Orissasuch astheVedanta, Sterliteand side fromNALCO, bauxite miningandre thereareforthcoming 155 away away their landsandforest,effectively fi nery nery 66/17/2006 4:06:47 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d based Vedanta, isputtingupaonemilliontonre Vedanta London- AluminiumLimited(VAL), of awhollyowned subsidiary The Vedanta project The Paroja Kondha tribe of Adivasis, living in the Kashipur block of Rayagada Rayagada Adivasis, block living of intheKashipur ParojaThe Kondha tribeof The UAIL project here (Devarajan, 2004). conservation needfor isanurgent theregion.There toVamsadhara,birth theonlyriver of species. StreamsandspringssproutonNiyamgiri’s ridges, giving Northern fromleopards, apart sambars, Indiantiger endangered bisons, andahostof over 40 percent.Itishometothe with animpressive crown densityof Orissa’sSterlite’s mostbiodiverse forests proposedminingsiteholdssomeof theadivasi population. development of mining leasesintheseareaswould bringaboutencouragingsocio-economic industries, andoperationof land fordevelopment activities, establishmentof handby arguingthatthetransferof sleightof alegal Orissaperformed of or prospectinglicensestominingcompanies. However, theGovernment or private, inSchedule Vareasto non-Adivasis, butalsobarsminingleases land,government thatnotonlyprohibits saleof ruling theSupremeCourt of countertothespirit Sterliteproject,which fallsina“ScheduleThe V”area,runs The Sterliteproject aluminium plantarea. projectwillspelldoomforthesetribeswhoselandsfallunderthe range. The distinctive andtraditionaltribes, live thatdottheNiyamgiri in90smallvillages destroy Orissa’s theaquifers. Moreover, most Kondhs, theDongaria oneof bauxiteinthisareawilltherefore effectively actasoverhead aquifers. Miningof hillsinNiyamgirithat of aresituatedintheupperportion bauxite deposits fromtheOrissa-basedEnvironmental Protection Group,According toareport forests. village cover over 26hectaresof Forest theRayagada projectwould Division. The also and protectedforestof 672,018hectaressituatedintheNiyamgiriReserve Forest over aforestareaof facility anda75-megawatt capacitypower plant.Miningwillbeconducted comprising analuminiumre Orissatobuildanaluminiumcomplex, understanding withtheGovernment of district.On07JuneKalahandi 2003,VAL hadenteredintoamemorandumof

1 5 6 fi plant,athreemetrictonbauxitemining nery 156 fi in atLangigarh nery 66/17/2006 4:06:47 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 157 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d Local communities in Kashipur stand to gain littletangiblebene standtogain Local communities inKashipur bauxite. techniques torecover 195.73milliontonsof from theBaphlimalihillinareausingfullymechanized bauxite-mining oriented.UAIL venture1993. The is100percentexport planstominebauxite India,in CanadaandHindalcoof Alcanof which of today isaconsortium Orissaenteredintoacontractwiththeprivate company, Government of The Limited (UAIL). bauxiteby UtkalAluminiumInternational way forminingof District inSouthwest Orissa,arebeingasked togive uptheirlandtomake as LarsenandToubro, Vedanta, AdityaBirla andSterlite, have alreadyacquired INDAL have yettobecompleted.Othercompanies intheminingracesuch operations inOrissa.Environmental impactassessmentstudiesforTata- Many morecompaniesareinterestedinsetting upminingandrelated Summary ofPart V are de will createatmost50jobs. Cashcompensationwillbeprovided tothosewho the World Banktoprovide power toproject. morethanRs.900 millionfrom andanotherloanof bauxite routetotheport, arailway linkingthe morethanRs.300 of millionfortheconstruction loan of taxes fromtheproject.However, thestatehasalsotaken outa of in terms bauxiteorRs.12.6 millionayearandsomereturns about Rs.42 pertonof Orissawillreceive royalties of According toDasVidya(2001),thestateof in thearea. theminedarea,contaminating thecultivable landsandlocalstreams slopes of for the clearance given by thecompanydoesnothave thegovernment, to take careof that willbedumpedintoanashpond,which, accordingtothe environmental ashperday 1000tonsof projectisalsoexpectedtogenerate Vidya, 2001).The than 2,000peoplewillbeaffectedby theproject’s “redmud” (Das discharge” downstream tothe re At least11villages valley. mostsettlementsnow residinginthe dump willcripplethelivelihood of wastage landforthefactory 2,610hectaresof shows thattherequirementsof theproject(TARU,economic, socialandenvironmental assessmentof 1996) adetailedandindependent the manifoldeffectsonecology. conductof The proposedcompensationisinsuf The landless.not even virtually beconsidereddisplaced,renderingthevillagers cultivable landwill which willlose75percentof thevillages feet. Manyof

1 5 7 fi nda poetafce” 0cnso ln n os f300square landandahouseof nedas“projectaffected”:10centsof fi rst fi ve years. Itisfearedthattheoverburden willbedumpedonthe 157 fi livelihood and cient forthelossof fi nr,wt oa ouaino more nery, withatotalpopulationof fi ts: theproject 66/17/2006 4:06:48 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d amount of debt for the construction of mining-related infrastructure. mining-relatedinfrastructure. of debtfortheconstruction amount of acentury. Moreover, amassive thestatehasincurred of used withinaquarter 200-300 yearsshallnow be what was meanttobeexploitedover aperiodof formining: iron ore reserves the state’s approximately 40,000lakhtonsof understandingcommitting Orissa, thestatehassignedover 35memorandaof activityto facilitatecorporate inminingandother industries. Inthecaseof policies onwater, education,health,and employment agriculture, inorder have fromthese efforts, thecentralandstategovernments Apart alsoframed to theLandTransfer Actin2004,andamendment totheForest Billin2005). Acquisition Actin1998,amendmenttotheVSchedule in2001,amendment recent actionstorelaxsuch protective legislation(e.g. amendmenttotheLand livelihood andlandarebeingconstantly communities. InOrissa,laws thatexistspeci theenvironment andlocal –attheexpenseof mineral resourcesforexport industries, andhave reliedsigni policies have favoured increasedforeigninvestment inminingandrelated heightenedeconomicglobalisation, India’s centralandstategovernment of basedonaneoliberaldevelopment growth paradigminanera In pursuitof Orissa. an ecologicaldebtowed tothepeopleof aluminium,andtheWorld arethedebtorsof Bank.They major consumersof America,G7countriesthatare Switzerland,RioTintoandAlcoaof Suisse of Australia, Alu Canada,BHPof Norway,France, Alcanof NorskHydro of primarilyNALCO,national corporations of TNCssuch asAPInternational ecologicalspaceinOrissainclude of destruction actors intheensuinglarge-scale the localcommunities inOrissa. projects pushthrough,thesewillsurelyincreasetheecologicaldebtowed to experience withNALCO, itisthis:shouldadditionalminingandindustrial oneclearlessoncanbedrawn fromOrissa’sand Environment. However, if Forest Koraput districts, of andareawaiting authorisationfromtheMinistry and andneighbouringKalahandi landinRayagada leases forvast areasof A Synthesis

1 VI. CONCLUSION 5 8 by miningactivites corporate andhydropower projects. principal The naturalresources economic expansionthroughtheexploitationof fter India’s for in1947,Orissabecameadirecttarget independence fi domestic cantly ontheexploitationof 158 fl haveouted. There alsobeenmany fi cally toprotectAdivasi people’s 66/17/2006 4:06:48 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 159 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d endure global warming-induced endure globalwarming-induced landmust now Marginalised people, whoseonlywealth mightbeasmallplotof societaldivides basedonclass,reinforces andaggravates caste/tribeandsex. displacement at leastanother100,000people. theprocessof Ingeneral, andnewminingprojectsareexpectedtodislocate development andprogress; at least80,000people, mainlyAdivasis, fromtheirlandinthenameof thesedevelopments, miningactivities inOrissahave severed As aresultof coal- emissionsinOrissahave gas skyrocketed:greenhouse Orissa’s industriesand Orissa inparticular. DespiteIndia’s commitmentattheClimateConvention, industriestotheSouth,includingIndiaandstateof energy-intensive World Bank,intofossilfuel-driven power plantsintheSouth,and by moving capital,viatheircorporations, andthe governments massive quantitiesof would soonhave tobereduceddramatically. latterrespondedby funnelling The whilerich countrieswereglobal warming, given noticethattheiremissions emissionscontributing to gas economies” beforetheyreducedgreenhouse hemispherewere given theSouthern leadtimeto“develop their countries of SummitinRiodeJaneiro, atthe1992Earth governments Brazil,thedeveloping theworld’sFollowing theClimateConvention protocolsignedby mostof eto fsmallpeasants, Adivasis, Dalitsandwomen weresection of involved in isthatalarge Commontoallthesestruggles andKalinganagar). Lanjigarh, Gandhamardan, Chilika,Indravati, Gopalpur, Lakhari,Kashipur, Kotagarh, Baliapal, toprotect lifeandlivelihood (forexample, inthetowns of struggles inthelasttwoproduction. Therefore, decades, Orissa haswitnessedmany bauxiteminingandaluminium the directandindirectconsequencesof experiencewithNALCO, theyhavevictims. realised Aftermanyyearsof Orissaarenotmerely tonotethatthepeopleof and culture, itisimportant Notwithstanding theonslaughtontheirenvironment, livelihood, health Resistance ef wdt h epeo Orissa,especially theAdivasis. owed tothepeopleof theseconstituteanecologicaldebt extinction.Allof of lifeisindanger way of theAdivasi government, these aretaken over by withtheaidof corporations dignityandsovereignty.livelihood practices, As culture, wisdom,senseof landsandforestarecloselyinterwovenThe withtheirAdivasi inhabitants’ on theforestthatlooked aftertheirsubsistenceneedsduringleanmonths. abletofallbackand arerenderedunusable arenolonger by pollution.They water asrivers arediverted forindustrialuse forced tolive withascarcityof

1 fl 5 uents that harm their agricultural landsanddestroy theirproduce. are theiragricultural They uents thatharm 9 fi rdpwrpat urnl mt 6 ilo oso carbondioxide. red power emits164milliontonsof plantscurrently fl uctuations inrainfall,ashoverburden and 159 66/17/2006 4:06:48 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d acting on the instructions of mining corporations withtheunof miningcorporations of acting ontheinstructions movements were seriouslyinjured.The thirty believe thatthepolicewere 12Adivasis were killedandabout miningprojectsinKalinganagar: against On 2January 2006,policeopened Weaker Rural SectionsinIndia. Anukaran andtheIntegrated Development of LakshmanNayak SocietyforRuralnamely Agragamee, Development, Adivasi thatareseentobesupporting struggles, organisations government fourlocalnon- alsoinitiatedaderegistrationprocessagainst government state toanother300.The were andwarrants served people were arrested have beenimprisonedorkilled.Following arecentprotest,morethan500 these“anti-development” and“anti-national”.Protestors termed nevertheless arelegitimatemovements, has thegovernment thesestruggles While of government. government. of con initiatives theongoing by andclearlydepict boththestateandcorporations mining corporations. mining Mobilisationhashelpedtostallfuturelarge-scale demanding forsustainableliving andanendtothesustainablepracticesof people. environmental andsociallens, to development toensurethatgenuine accrues single development project,which consumestremendousresources, through ecological debtowed topeople. thereisaneedtoexamineevery Thus people’s resourcesby private capital,therebythe appropriationof increasing todisguise neoliberalparadigm,ithasbecomean ideological garb the current increasingly shown that“development” anymore. isnotjustaconcept Under mining aswell astheirpoliciesintheminingandothersectorshave so-called“anti-development”Government protestsagainst actionsagainst and forest. rightsover Orissa,for land,waterAdivasi inBhubaneswar, rally capitalof

What kindofdevelopmentpath?

1 6 0 fl itoe oto fresourcesbetween communities andcorporations. ict over controlof fi r nhnrd fAdivasis demonstrating re onhundredsof 160 fi cialbacking 66/17/2006 4:06:49 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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P M CChapter5(125-168).indd 161 h a p t e r 5 ( 1 2 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d Box 8.Ecological debt: achicken andegg story bene orparadigmwill ask afundamentalquestion:whatdevelopment trajectory mining andmining-relatedindustriesintheircommunities, to itisimportant themselves Orissacontinue toresist toorganise Moreover, asthepeopleof killed bythepolice. on02-03January massacre 2006:12Adivasis Nagar Kalinga were of Martyrs

1 6 1 communities couldbegiven back theirresourcestoutilize ontheir the please, theycouldindeedcreate morechickens, If and moreeggs. thecommunities were leftwiththeirown to hatch eggs, asthey If asking forthefullcost. Justmore eggs. person,I’mnot imaginethe cost!Sinceyou aregood whicheggs, would have given manymorechickens, and thusmany Iwould havenot taken theegg, hatched it,itwould have given many you had would becrestfallen,butthemoneylenderwould explain: if urgently,egg, and even askforthelandasanalternative. adivasi The he was busyinhis A fewmonthsafter,to theAdivasi themoneylendermightgo while nowitnesses. insteadinthepresenceof would offeranegg moneylenderwouldtreat aguest.The declinetogive achicken but achicken tothemoneylender one adivasi foraloanof mightgo tricks.the Adivasis. For example, usedtoemploy They anumber of A fewdecadesback, moneylendersinKoraput, Orissausedtoexploit fi t thepeople? fi eld and demand a few hundred rupees against the against eld anddemandafewhundredrupees 161 66/17/2006 4:06:50 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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2 Ecological Debt: The Peoples of the South are the Creditors 5 - 1 6 8 ) . i n d d ecological debt. lobbying, networking andalliancebuilding. Letusbuildaworld thatisfreeof policies andlegislations, andproviding alternatives throughresearch, advocacy, entails demonstratingalternatives totheneo-liberal paradigm,critiquing making processesondevelopment, amongothers. way The forward therefore andleadershipindecision- toensure community governance participation of cost-bene 1 The districtwas divided districts. The in1992intofourseparate 1 NOTES ecologicaldebt,re the institutionsinvolved intheaccumulation of andsanctions on theresources, accountabilityof controlsintheuseof of maypeople’s life, bemadeinterms somecorrection livelihoods andways of theenvironment, of impossible tocompletelycompensateforthedestruction topointoutthatwhileitis ecologicaldebt.Itisimportant for theimpactof might alsoproposelegislationforcalculating,restrictingandcompensating vis-à-visacountry’secological debt,particularly on ecologicaldebtinOrissamightproposemechanisms formeasuring Orissa.Futurestudies ecologicaldebtfromtheperspective of of concept studyhasbeenahumbleattempttobeginunderstandtheemerging This

1 6 2 lifestyles seeminthemselves tobeodessimplicityandgratitude. celebrate andvenerate natureinitsabundanceandgenerosity, andtheir theirfewresources. religions Their full andrespectfuladvantage of community, spirituality, andtaking senseof andadeep art, full of communities individuals quickly wholive observe alively andfulllife, communities’ own People successatsurvival. visitingthese Perhaps fromtheindigenous anysolutiontoecologicaldebtwilllearn themselves andtheircommunities. sustaining people’s traditionalways of of elsewhere, orthedestruction resourcesinOrissaand compensateforthepillagingof will never truly couldpotentiallylessentheecologicaldebt,these reparations Even if we donottry, thedebtwillcontinue toremaininvisible. if ecological debtisincalculable. But long-term The eating alltheeggs. At themoment,however, arekillingallthechickens, corporations and years. thousands of own theycouldsustainthemselves terms, –astheyhave donefor fi t analyses of environmental and social concerns; andmechanisms environmental andsocialconcerns; t analysesof 162 fi studies nancial debt.The fl ection in ection 66/17/2006 4:06:52 PM / 1 7 / 2 0 0 6

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