In Rajasthan, labourers continue to toil in mines they ‘own’

JAIPUR, JULY 18 : Sujidevi has been fighting for justice for over three years now. It was in 2004 that she realised that someone else had been using a quarry licence issued in her husband Nemaram’s name. It had been 12 years since her husband’s death, but the licence had been renewed thrice, even though no one in her family knew that there was a licence in his name.

In 2005, she started her fight for justice, hoping that the Department of Mines and Geology would undertake an investigation and the culprits would be punished. From holding dharnas to meeting officials, Sujidevi did everything. But, all she got in return were assurances. However, not ready to call it quits, Sujidevi, who receives financial assistance from the Human Rights Commission to fight her case, has now decided to strengthen her fight for justice.

This time around, Sujidevi would be backed by the Rajasthan Khan Mazdoor Union, which plans to launch an agitation to demand implementation of safety norms and a detailed survey on how many licences have been issued in the names of SC/ST labourers. The union plans to begin its agitation this Thursday by handing over memorandums to the Jodhpur Regional Commissioner, District Collector and Labour Enforcement Officer. This would be followed by public meetings and hearings for the labourers, after which it plans to launch protests and dharnas.

Over 10,000 licences have been allotted for mining of sandstone in Jodhpur district, where the number of labourers is over 1.3 lakh. As per the MMCR and Government rules 10 per cent of licences have been reserved for SC/ ST and OBC community, but most of these are mined in proxy.

Like in Sujidevi’s case, actual leaseholders are completely ignorant that they are owners of the quarries where they continue to work as labourers. “It came as a shock when the officials of the department came to our house in 2004 to inform me that the licence had been cancelled. They did not believe us when we told them that my husband had died of TB 12 years ago,” says Sujidevi.

Later, the family came to know that according to the Mining Department’s records the licence for quarry number 229 in Pabumagra area, issued in Nemaram’s name, had been renewed 10 times, thrice after his death. The initial licence was granted to Nemaram for five years on October 16, 1973 on the ground that he belonged...

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