By Fr. Adolf Washington
(The writer is President of Indian Catholic Press Association and Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director of South Asian Religious News)

KOLAR GOLD FIELDS, Karnataka, Jun 24 :-- Millions of gallons of water flood the underground mines in Kolar Gold Fields (K.G.F.) while residents living in this 120-year-old British-established mining town in Karnataka scuttle for a pot of water every time the municipal water tanker comes into a locality.

The water underground is toxic. The people of K.G.F., who were the first to receive electricity in the country, now struggle with power cuts and unscheduled load-shedding.

Mounds of cyanide punctuate this mining town and Parthenia and wild shrubs have grown over vast expanses of abandoned land in and around the abandoned mines. Several people live with bronchital problems and have little access to cheap or free medical aid they once enjoyed, with the Bharat Gold Mines Limited (BGML) hospital shutting down.

With the mines officially shut down eight years ago in 2002, unemployment has gripped the town, forcing people to travel over a 100 kilometres everyday to Bangalore city for employment. Petty thieves have grown in number and the mining remains that lay rusting are an open temptation. The socio-economic situation of this once vibrant town has taken a downward spiral. Thanks to governmental neglect and apathy, no alternative employment was provided. Ironically, the huge Bharat Earth Movers Limited factory close to the mining town provides employment for more people outside K.G.F. and for people from Bangalore.

Amidst this pall of gloom, the Church in K.G.F. has been a source of hope for the people. Churches are in full attendance, vibrant with praise and worship. With 7 Catholic churches and numerous house churches of other denominations, they certainly serve like a balm for the sore. What with the various schemes for education and social uplift that these Churches have come up with and convent schools providing education to the poor, this town has seen glittering gold in the days of yore, darkness with the closure of the mines and but hope for the future, with the presence of the Church.

Nothing seems to have dampened the spirits of Catholics. The Legion of Mary, The Vincent De Paul Society, youth and other pious associations are full of activity in all the Catholic churches. Parish feasts, Christmas and Easter are celebrated with grandeur garnering support and participation from people of different faiths.

Interestingly, the parishes in K.G.F. continue to enjoy the privilege of having the highest vocations to priesthood and religious life, with several priests serving in the Archdiocese of Bangalore.

The Church, in recent years, has also supported the organisation of people and backed their cries for the rejuvenation of the mines or pressed for alternative entertainment. Though ‘Kolar Gold’, an Australian-based mining consortium, made several attempts to talk the government and various unions of the BGML into ground-level mining, government apathy and lack of consensus between the unions often lead to a deadlock. The Church however, continues to infuse hope and succour in her people, so much so, that people would travel large distances for employment but return joyfully to their mining colonies to reminiscence the past and hope in Faith in a God that wouldn’t abandon his people.

The Church continues her work in the light of a golden past, a challenging present and a hopeful future.
The Church bells continue to ring.