Thousands protest 'open pit' coal mining in Phulbari - Locals fear loss of property, company sees 10

Thousands protest 'open pit' coal mining in Phulbari - Locals fear loss of property, company sees 10-20 pc loss in coal if open pit method not followed

The Daily Star (Bangladesh)

26 September 2005

Several thousand people from four upazila of Dinajpur staged a demonstration in Phulbari on Saturday protesting the proposed 'open pit method' of coal mining there, saying this will displace thousands of people and destroy the environment.

The London-based Asia Energy Corporation (Bangladesh) is now drilling in the area having an estimated deposit of about 500 million tons of high quality bituminous coal and other valuable minerals including glass sand and white clay. This would be the biggest coal mine in the country.

People from different areas of Phulbari, Birampur, Ghoraghat and Parbartipur attended the rally held Phulbari upazila headquarters.

It was organised by the Phulbari Protection Committee, headed by Phulbari Pourashava Chairman Md Shajahan Ali Sarker Putu as its convener. It was formed in June.

Speakers at the rally gave the government a three-week ultimatum to stop the coal mine project work by the Asia Energy.

With Md Shajahan Ali Sarker Putul in the chair, the rally was addressed by, among others, Sheikh Mohammad Shahidullah, chairman of Oil, gas and mineral resources; Abdul Matin, acting secretary of Bangladesh Socialist Party and Tipu Biswas, a central leader of Commu-nist Party of Bangladesh (CPB). The speakers also included local political leaders and representatives of businessmen, teachers, local NGOs, journalists and people of the four upazilas.

They vowed to resist the mining, saying it will displace over 50,000 people from their ancestral homes. Some people have been forced to leave homes without any compensation, they claimed.

The Asia Energy has by now completed feasibility study and test drilling in five square kilometer area. It has dug 107 wells, the speakers said.

Asia Energy, a subsidiary of UK-based Carbine Mining Group, is planning to start coal extraction next year after completing all studies this month. The project would create employment for about 11,000 people, company sources said.

The mining area will spread to about 6.5 square kilometre area if the open pit method is applied, sources said.

Details will be finalised after assessment of environmental and social impact, they added.

Our Rangpur Correspondent Rafique Sarker adds: Earlier talking to The Daily Star correspondent during a visit, Phulbari Municipal Chairman Shajahan Ali Sarker Putu said the people of Phulbari and nearby areas are opposing the open pit method of mining as it will have a long term environmental effect on the people in about 40 sq kilometre area.

All houses, educational institutions and commercial centres within 6,500 hectares in Phulbari upazila alone will have to be evicted if this method is applied, he said.

Replying to a question, he said, "The people of Phulbari may consider if the method of mining is changed".

Badruzzaman, a geologist of Asia Energy, said the company has chosen the 'open pit method' as 10 to 20 per cent of the coal will be lost if underground mining is done as in Barapukuria coal mine. The Phulbaria coal is deposited at a lower depth, he said.

Sources said the coal is deposited at a depth of 140 to 300 metres.

Badruzzaman said the company has opened an information centre at Phulbari to make the people aware about the giant project.

The people are being told that east Phulbari would go under the mining area and a new township would be developed on the west of Choto Jumuna river as an extension of the existing Phulbari town.

"All affected people will be fairly compensated for loss of land, property, and livelihood", he said. Regarding environmental damage, Badruzzaman said, Asia Energy has engaged SMEC, an international company, to study the environmental and social effects and prepare a 'resettlement action plan'.

"It has completed an initial environment study and the government's Department of Environment has given clearance," he added.