Bangalore:
In the port village of Belekeri, close to the Bellary mines in Karnataka, more and more people are suffering from respiratory ailments including asthma. The reason: Dust, which hundreds of trucks haul from several mining operations. It has transformed the air quality of this town for the worse.
The port is closed during the monsoon season every year. And that's the only time when this port town breathes easy from respiratory disorders and lack of sleep that 3,000 iron ore lorries a day can cause.
Dr. Sayeed Murtaza is a patient himself. He suffers from acute respiratory infection.
"On this street alone, 10-12 people have had an angioplasty or heart surgery. And then there is no sleep due to lorry movement. The shrill honking of the lorries let no one sleep. Even when we sit down to eat, there is dust on the plates," Dr. Murtaza said.
At the taluka's primary health centre too, there are page after pages of cases from Belekeri.
"The statistics give a sense of drastic changes in acute respiratory infection, but it cannot be said it is because of dust particles or directly manganese-related," said Dr Ravi M G, in-charge, Primary Health Centre, Ankola Taluka.
Investigations show the iron and manganese ore from Bellary's mines, which is brought into this port both officially and illegally, is much beyond permissible limits.
"We are not saying stop bringing in manganese, but there should be a limit. We even protested for the cause, but it was no use," said Lakshmi Amma, Belekeri Panchayat president.
A poor village is paying the price for transit of ore that has made billionaires in faraway Bellary.