The provision in the draft mining Bill seeking to share 26 per cent of mining profits with displaced people is a welcome move. The story of natives in mining areas is one of exploitation and deprivation. Having worked with National Mineral Development Corporation’s (NMDC’s) Bailadila project between 1968 and 1975, I have witnessed exploitation of the local population by traders from Raipur and other areas. These traders would collect valuables like naturally grown dry fruit and spices at a throwaway rate of 10 per cent of the wholesale market price. The local population then had to use these meagre payments to buy items for their daily needs at exploitative rates. The NMDC displaced a large number of people who were then employed by contractors working with the NMDC and float-ore mining contractors at lower than the minimum wage.
NMDC did nothing for local development and polluted the rivers Dankini and Shankhni by draining red water coming out of its washing plant into the rivers. Though there was a hue and cry at the state level, the proposed tubewells for tribals were never built. The tribals lost their water, the source of their cultivation. No action was taken against the NMDC. Leaders like Arvind Netam never raised their voice for tribal rights.
No locals have been provided vocational education or training. They continue to live in huts and sleep on floors. The compensation for land acquisition is deposited in banks and locals are not even aware of it. The money from banks is often withdrawn by crooks without the knowledge of the beneficiaries.
NMDC, which has earned the status of mini navratna, has a cash accumulation of '15,000 crore. The government has added to its budget through disinvestment. This entire earning has come from its land and iron ores in Bailadila that is of the highest quality. Should the super profits earned by NMDC not be shared with the locals? Is it not incumbent on NMDC to open institutes providing new techniques of cultivation and provide electricity for rural areas?
B B Jindal, Lucknow
