Stop Mining in Indian National Park and Exports for Japan!
FOEJ and ESG send a letter to Japanse PM


Friends of the Earth-Japan and Environmental Support Group, India, sent a letter to Mr. Yoshiro Mori, the Prime Minister of Japan, on August 18, appealing not to support imports of iron ore excavated in the Kudremukh National Park, India.

The Kudremukh National Park in the mountainous Western Ghats is known for its invaluable shola forests. However, India's largest iron ore mining company, the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd. (KIOCL), has been mining here for over two decades causing serious damage to vast stretches of forests, the rivers they support, wildlife and human health and environment. Japan is a major importer of the KIOCL's products.

As the long term mining lease of the company expired last year, work is continuing only on the basis of a short lease. The future of KIOCL is entirely reliant on securing further a long mining lease, of 20 years, not just in the existing mined areas, but in new forest areas as well. There is groundswell of opposition to extending the lease. Even so, the Karnataka State and Indian Governments are keen to privatise the company, merely for sustaining foreign exchange earnings from this 100% EOU. Japanese imports and/or involvement is crucial to the sustenance of the company and its privatisation effort.

As the Japanese Prime Minister visits India from August 21, Indian groups plan to send the letter to him on arrival in Bangalore. The letter was also sent to the PM's office and relevant offices in Tokyo on August18.

Whilst the deadline to make your endorsments for the Bangalore Release is Saturday, 19 August 3 pm (IST), endorsements may be sent till Tuesday, 23 August. We will send them to the Japanese Embassy in Delhi to make it before the Prime Minister's departure from India on Wednesday.

 
*Letter to the PM

*For more information on the issue, please visit
https://www.angelfire.com/journal/nagini/kudremukh.html

*Please read article of Asian Age (Bangalore, Date 21 August 2000)
https://www.asianage.com/asianage/21082000/detban02.htm

*Visit Photo Gallery of the Kudremukh National Park https://www.angelfire.com/journal/nagini/kud13.html