Keonjhar: Complying with a Supreme Court order, the state government has announced that it will auction 34 iron and manganese mines in July. However, workers and officials of these mines are apprehensive about losing their jobs.
Labour union leaders said before auctioning the mines, the government should think of rehabilitating the workers and officials. There is no provision for reappointing workers and other staff in the mines after auctions.
Earlier, the government was leasing out mines to agencies who offer more royalty. “In the present system of auctioning, there is no provision for re-hiring mine workers and officials after leasing,” said Maheswar Rout, the state secretary of AITUC.
Thousands of workers and officials working in the 34 mines are worried about their jobs. They are afraid that they will lose their jobs after March 31, 2020 when the new leaseholders will start operations. If there is loss of jobs it can lead to law and order problems in the mining areas.
The AITUC has demanded that the government should take immediate steps for ensuring re-hiring of workers whose mines are auctioned.
The union demanded that agencies which have not paid penalty and are involved in illegal mining should not be allowed to take part in the auction.
Labour unions and experts say the government should take over the mines so that it can earn profits.
Social activists and environmentalists said that local people should be given employment in the mines after fresh leases are concluded, and that the protection of forests and the environment must be ensured.
The companies taking the mines on lease should be mandated to implement development projects in their areas of operation, the activists said.
PNN
