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 to the SC/ST category.

“We are not even aware that licences have been issued in our names. Some upper caste people are making use of our names while we continue to work as labourers. We have been demanding an inquiry into the list of licences issued to SC/ST labourers and who is mining on them,” said Jodhpur Khan Mazdoor Union general secretary Kalu Ram Bhati.

“Sujidevi is just one of the cases. We are sure there must be several others and hence we are demanding that the survey be undertaken immediately,” added Bhati.