March to save Indian gold mine

The company says gold is "unavailable"

Habib Beary BBC correspondent in Bangalore

Human rights activists and industrial workers in the southern Indian state of Karnataka have set off on a protest march against the closure of one of India's oldest gold mines - the Kolar Gold Fields.

Their year-long campaign has received a boost with leading environmental activist, Medha Patekar, joining the movement.

The march will culminate in a rally in Bangalore on Thursday expected to be attended by about 5,000 workers in Bangalore, some 120 kilometres from the gold mines.

The protesters will then submit a memorandum to the local government signed by 100,000 people.

Low caste

The Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) township has a population of about 150,000 that is dependent on the mines for their livelihood.

At least 800 tonnes of gold has been extracted from these mines over the last 100 years

Most of the workers are low caste Hindus or Dalits and speak Tamil.

On her first visit to the gold mining town early this week, Medha Patekar described the township as dead and dry.

She called on the government to provide alternate industries to the area if it was unable to revive the mines.

Medha Patekar said she was taking up the issue as it was symbolic of the anti-labour policies of the government.

Officials of Bharat Gold Mines Limited, the company that runs the 120-year-old mines, said they were closed down last year after suffering losses close to $90m.

They also said there was an "unavailability of gold".

At least 800 tons of gold has been extracted from these mines over the past 100 years.

The KGF People's Movement that has organised the march says the company became a loss-making unit mainly due to its failure to upgrade technology and due to poor management policies.

The closure of the mines has been challenged in the state's High Court by workers where the case is still pending.