Manipur: Environmental hammer hits illegal mining, labourers stare at job insecurity

Source: timesnownews.com

Imphal: The ban imposed on unauthorised mining in Manipur has invited threats for the state government. After the Manipur High Court passed the judgement on the ban, the quarry workers said that if a local site is not allotted to them for mining, they would resort to staging protests. 

The decision was taken by the high court on July 2. In its decision, the Manipur High Court said that unauthorised stones quarrying and sand mining in all rivers of the state has been banned. The decision was taken after the Thoubal River Conservation Committee approached the court seeking a ban on the exploitation of the Thoubal river. In the PIL, the committee stated that many rivers of the state have been polluted due to mining. 

The court acknowledged the fact that mining was posing a threat to the rivers and expanded the PIL to all the rives in the state. The petition said that the water of the Thoubal river was not fit for consumption because of mining. 

The ban has only been imposed on organisations that do not have licences or permits for mining and stone quarrying. While the ban is being hailed by civic bodies, it is being heavily criticised by labour unions. After the ban was imposed, quarry workers showed their disapproval by threatening the government with an agitation. 

Reacting on the ban, President of Self Employed Labour of Sand and Stone Marketing Association, Ningthoujam Momon said, “Government should not snatch the only source of livelihood of the poor labours and others involved in the business.” A major source of employment for people in Manipur, a ban on mining will render many unemployed. The labourers are demanding that an alternative site for stone quarrying and mining is allotted to them so that they are not deprived of their bread and butter. 

Most of these labourers have worked at quarries and mines all their lives. Enforcing this ban will also spell their doom. Most of the labourers do not have any additional skills. If mining is stopped, these labourers will not have any means to make ends meet. They will have to run from pillar to post to get a job for themselves. 

Not only this, construction of buildings in Manipur is dependent on sand and stones mined from river beds within the state, enforcing a ban on mining of rivers will also cripple the infrastructural development of the state. As a result of the ban, the state will have to procure sand and stone from other states, which will affect Manipur financially. 

Till now, the labourers have only ‘threatened’ the administration and have demanded that the ban be revoked. It is for the government to decide if it wants to save the environment or if it wants to provide employment to thousands.