For years our government turn a blind eye to illegal mining in our country and when Maoists take vicious advantage of the sufferings of displaced tribals to indulge in large-scale killings, our ministers finally wake up. In the first place, ore of any kind should not be exported to any country, least of all to China. We sell to China our precious possessions, ore and not manufactured goods, and think we are increasing our trade. That is cheating ourselves while damaging our future. As Karnataka’s Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa recently — and very wisely — pointed out, “it is high time we discontinued the policy of permitting export of raw materials, particularly precious natural resources, which are not renewable”. The words “which are not renewable” should be underlined. Yeddyurappa is further reported to have said: “There is urgent need to put in place a comprehensive policy to ban export of iron ore and to make it mandatory that iron ore and other such precious minerals are utilized for value addition within the country itself”.
Ores do not grow like trees. They are, when mined, self-exhaustive. We need them badly. If we continue to export them, a time will come, say, 50 to 70 years later, when we shall not have any ore to use for the manufacture of our own metallic needs and may be forced to use clay for our pots and pans and timber for our cars and buses. All building activity will come to a halt and  we shall go back to our primitive days. Let our governments not say they have not been warned. Ores, shockingly enough, are not only exhaustively mined, they are mined illegally, and can one believe it, Yeddyurappa himself has admitted that “iron ore worth hundreds of crores of rupees has been exported for the last eight years”. This is nothing short of criminal. The Central government must immediately ban all export of minerals and sentence the lawbreakers even if they happen to be ministers or politicians with clout. A maximum fine of Rs 50 lakh and a jail sentence of five years will not be adequate.
According to information made available in Frontline (July 16, 2010), there are about 15,000 illegal mines spread across the country as against 8,700 legal mines, and “in several parts of the country, the boundaries between legal and illegal mining merge seamlessly”. The journal quotes a recent study by Amnesty International on the Vedanta Group’s operations in Orissa, maintaining that both the State government and the Central government had “breached obligations to respect and protect the human rights of the Dongria Kondh and other communities affected by mining and refining projects”. It is difficult to believe it, but, according to the magazine, “in the first four-and-a-half decades of  independence, mining had displaced about two-and-a-half crore people and not even 25 per cent of them had been rehabilitated”. Of the displaced people, more than half were from tribal communities. If today tribal people are revolting, how can we blame them?
Here are a few more facts culled from Frontline. An estimated 1.64 lakh hectares of forest land have already been diverted for mining in the country. In 2006 alone, mining had generated about 1.84  billion tons of waste. The three most devastated States are Orissa, Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. In the course of mining, as much as 77 million tonnes of  water had been used just in 2005-2006, enough to meet the needs of more than three million people. It is nobody’s case that mining should be stopped. But three points need to be noted. One, ores should not, under any circumstances, be exported and should be used strictly for domestic industry. Two, people displaced from their forest homes should be taken care of with extra zeal in every possible way and adequately compensated, their culture especially respected  and preserved. Indeed, a new law apparently seeks to make sharing of at least 26 per cent profits with local population mandatory. And three, severe punishment should be levied on those indulging in illegal mining. A draft Bill, Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill 2010 envisages the setting up of a national mining tribunal which can check independently all decisions, indecisions and delays in its application. It is also stated that the draft bill guarantees assured annuity to the local population deprived of homes and rehabilitations, not to speak of resettlement of displaced people etc. If the State government wants to grant forest area for mining, consultation is declared mandatory with panchayats in tribal areas.
According to the Ministry of Mines, India produces as many as 86 minerals and they include 13 major minerals, namely, iron ore, manganese ore, chrome ore, sulphur, gold, diamond, copper, lead, zinc, molybdenum, tungsten, nickel, and platinum How can anyone think of exporting such precious ores which are our country’s national heritage ?
It is reported that the Karnataka government has ordered  authorities to verify the documents of ten companies engaged in exporting ores through ports in Mangalore, Karwar and Delekeri. There are reports indicating that companies have forged transport permits, and it is evident that there has been wholesale bribery of some officials. It is disgrace abounding. One can understand the rapacity of exporters who have literally been earning in billions. According to the  Lokayukta Report, between 2000-2001 and 2005-2006, exports of iron went up from 6.19 million tonnes to 90.76 million tonnes and the price of iron ore rose from Rs 274 per ton to Rs 1,061 per ton, the total export value increasing from $184.09 million to $5,216.39 million. Can one imagine how much profit the mining fraternity has made? And how much of that profit has been shared with politicians?
Frontline says that in Jharkhand, “the rise of Koda, an independent legislator, who did not have the backing of a large political organisation, to the Chief Minister’s position and his continuance in office for 23 months itself signifies the power of the mining lobby”. How many bureaucrats also have made themselves rich quietly and on the side? Koda is in jail and surely a few dozen more people should also be in jail. Justice must prevail.
There is so much money to be made that, according to an estimate made by the Indian Institute of Metals in 2009, as much as $300 billion is likely to be invested in the mining and metals sector in eastern India over the next few years. Our law implementors are forewarned. Look out for corrupters and those willing to be corrupted. And give no excuses.

MV Kamath