Lobbying with Parliamentarians – Monsoon Session 2018
In an effort to have a meaningful dialogue and to raise the issues, created and abandoned by mining industries, Samata along with its national alliance mines, minerals and People with a team of delegation from states across the country has met with the parliamentarians from various political parties to submit its memorandum in New Delhi from 8th to 10th August 2018. The delegation led by Ravi Rebbapragada, chairperson mm&P, Ashok Shrimali, Secretary General mm&P and Executive Committee members from the states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka met Members of Parliament (MP) from different states spanning across parties from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The delegation met with Mr. Mansukhbhai Vasava, Mr. Prabhubhai Vasava, Mr. Arjunlal Meena, Mr. Sanjay Singh, Mr. Syed Naseer Hussain, Mr. Naranbhai Rathwa, Mr. L. Hanumanthaiiah, Mr. Madhusudan Mistry, Mr. Rajamani Patel, Mr. Narendra K. Sawaikar and Mr.K Raju. The Delegation met with Mr. Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary (Minister of State, Coal and Mines) to discuss about the legal hurdles that may be faced if the Central Government amends the MMDR Act, 1957 and the Abolition of Mining Concessions and Declaration of mining Leases Act 1987.
mm&P is an Alliance of individuals, institutions and communities across the country who are concerned and affected by mining.
The issues raised by the delegation include the poor implementation of PESA Act, non- utilization of DMF funds, illegal mining across the country, forced land acquisition, poor safety of mine workers, environmental degradation due to mining and false charges against the Patthargadi Movement activists. The constitutional rights of the Adivasi community and those affected by mining are ignored in the process of meeting the ‘National development goals’.
The Delegation proposed the concept of co-operative mining across the mining areas as per the Samata Judgement,1997. This will ensure sustainable mining, reduce environmental degradation and generate employment to the local communities.
Illegal mining is rampant across the country. Approximately 1 lakh illegal mining cases are reported across the Country with Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh topping the list (attached is the list of illegal mining across the country).
With regard to DMF total collection across the country has been reported as 18,467 crores, however 3552.39 crores has been spent in the mining affected areas (attached is the total collection and expenditure of DMF across states).
20 social activists have been arrested on the charges of sedition for supporting tribal population in engraving the provision of the 5th Schedule and the Constitution of India on the stones known as the Patthargadi Movement. This issue needs attention of the Parliament.