As mining generated red dust, Bellary residents refused to paint buildings

The toxic red dust, a result of rampant mining in Bellary, has forced people in areas like Sandur and Halakundi Toranagallu to stay away from repainting their houses for a decade. It is seen as a futile exercise as the original colour of building turns red in a few days of painting.

An instance is the panchayat building in Sandur. It has remained unpainted for a decade—not due to lack of fund, but for the probability of the structure turning red in colour.

Similar is the case with other buildings in the area. “I  took this shop on rent and started running an automobile business. It has been over a decade since it was painted. What is the use to get it painted? The dust particles due to mining will make the building and walls red,” said Jagadish, owner of an automobile shop in Taranagar.

Ramakrishna, another resident of Taranagar, painted his house a year ago, only to see it turn red in a few days. “This is the level of dust in the region,” he said. With the ban on mining, Ramakrishna is relieved.

“We could not ask the mining companies to repaint the house. Every day thousands of lorries used to travel on this road. But now we are happy that a very few vehicles travel on this road. My business would be affected due to the ban, but when it comes to health, mining ban is good,” he said.

Sudharshan Reddy, a resident of Hallakundi, on Bangalore Road near Obulapuram, said though he did not paint the exterior, he regularly repainted the interior.

Bellary resident Shivarama Reddy said the situation was so bad that people had to change clothes at least twice a day.

Huligamma, president of Taranagar panchayat, said that the government buildings and schools in the village had not been painted for years.

“Fading colour of the building is not the only concern. Mining also caused breathing problems in children and elderly people. I hope now [with the mining ban] the situation improves,” she said.

The dust particles cause skin problems too.

Suspended particulate matter levels in mining areas in Sandur, Hospet and Bellary was found to be 50% more than permitted by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board.

More than 100 companies carried out mining activities in forest land, polluting tanks and ponds in the area.

The greenery in Sandur, termed as the Kashi of South by Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to Bellary, has now turned red because of iron ore particles.