Mine workers stage a dharna to press for their demands in Ballari in 2021. | Photo Credit: The Hindu
Yeriswamy, from Ranjitpur village in Sandur taluk of Ballari district, worked for 11 years in Bharat Mines & Minerals (BMM), one of the mining companies that operated in the mineral-rich Ballari district. He entered the company in 2000 as a field labourer for monthly wages of ₹700 and rose to the position of a supervisor with his monthly wages touching ₹5,000 a month in 2011. Like most of his colleagues, he worked for 24 hours every alternate day, with the intervening day being an off.
Sudden loss of jobs
A view of mining activities at Devagiri hills near Sandur in Ballari district. | Photo Credit: BHAGYA PRAKASH
But one day in 2011, he was asked not to report to work. He was told that the company had stopped its operations following the Supreme Court order and offered a one-time payment of ₹52,000 as compensation. He was also assured that he would be taken back when the company resumes operations. That day never came.
He has since taken up many jobs, from watchman to an agriculture labourer, struggling to take care of his family.
Mr. Yeriswamy is among over 30,000 mine workers who were fired from their work in 2011 following the Supreme Court order for the closure of all mines in Ballari, in view of rampant illegal mining and the environmental devastation it caused.
From disadvantaged sections
A cloud of iron ore dust is thrown up as trucks pass by, enveloping women and a child in reddish haze at Kumaraswamy hills in Ballari. file photo | Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K
The labourers who thus lost their jobs are from the most disadvantaged sections in Ballari district. They worked as operators of earthmovers, truck drivers, cleaners, loaders, blasters and many more odd jobs in hazardous working conditions of the iron ore, manganese and other mines, often without proper safety equipment and basic facilities. Most of them were never paid minimum wages, as the Labour Department looked the other way.
In 2013, some of the mine workers formed a union and began pressing for their rights. The recent reopening of A and B category mines had triggered new hopes of reemployment, but they were short-lived. Now, it is mostly migrant workers from other States who are employed through labour contracts and sub-contracts.
E. Tukaram, Sandur MLA, speaking at the preliminary meeting on rehabilitation of the people in mining affected areas in Sandur taluk using DMF fund. File photo | Photo Credit: The Hindu
To demand for their rights, the workers are now holding a padayatra from Sandur to Ballari. It is scheduled to be flagged off by activist Medha Patkar at Sandur APMC at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and will culminate at the Ballari Deputy Commissioner’s office on Thursday.
Their demands include the reemployment of retrenched workers in the same mining companies as per the provisions of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947 and payment of compensation of ₹5 lakh to each retrenched worker among other things.
Address issues
“The mining companies violated all laws while closing their operations in 2011. They paid the salaries, and in some cases, gave lumpsum amount, and asked the workers not to report to duty. Mine owners made profits and went away and we cannot approach them. The government should address our issues at least now as mining has partially resumed,” Y. Gopi, President of the Ballari Mine Workers Union, said.
