Kolar Gold Mine Closure, Many Tamils Face hardship
Topic started by Raveen (@ h66-59-174-253.gtconnect.net) on Tue Apr 23 12:11:30 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.
Habib Beary
BBC correspondent in Bangalore
Human rights activists and industrial workers in the southern Indian state of Karnataka have set off on a protest march against the closure of one of India's oldest gold mines - the Kolar Gold Fields.
Their year-long campaign has received a boost with leading environmental activist, Medha Patekar, joining the movement.
The march will culminate in a rally in Bangalore on Thursday expected to be attended by about 5,000 workers in Bangalore, some 120 kilometres from the gold mines.
The protesters will then submit a memorandum to the local government signed by 100,000 people.
Low caste
The Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) township has a population of about 150,000 that is dependent on the mines for their livelihood.
At least 800 tonnes of gold has been extracted from these mines over the last 100 years
Most of the workers are low caste Hindus or Dalits and speak Tamil.
On her first visit to the gold mining town early this week, Medha Patekar described the township as dead and dry.
She called on the government to provide alternate industries to the area if it was unable to revive the mines.
Medha Patekar said she was taking up the issue as it was symbolic of the anti-labour policies of the government.
Officials of Bharat Gold Mines Limited, the company that runs the 120-year-old mines, said they were closed down last year after suffering losses close to $90m.
They also said there was an "unavailability of gold".
At least 800 tons of gold has been extracted from these mines over the past 100 years.
The KGF People's Movement that has organised the march says the company became a loss-making unit mainly due to its failure to upgrade technology and due to poor management policies.
The closure of the mines has been challenged in the state's High Court by workers where the case is still pending.
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Responses:
- From: AShok (@ nat-52.laurelnetworks.com)
on: Tue Apr 23 14:46:21
KGF was an awesome place. I was there till I was 8, we left KGF in 1987. My dad was brought up there too. I visited KGF in 98 and it was a ghost town, man I wish something can be done to revive that place. I agree there are a lot of people whose survival was/is based on the mines. My dad was an industrial engineer there, he might know more about what went down over there. I think there were a lot of mistakes done (from what my dad told me), however that place was bound to close either today or tomorrow. It was just a matter of time. I am goign to try to get my dad involved in this discussion to get more insight into what he thinks.
- From: AShok (@ nat-52.laurelnetworks.com)
on: Tue Apr 23 14:51:49
by the way chedk this site out
www.kgfonline.com
- From: Raveen (@ h66-59-174-253.gtconnect.net)
on: Tue Apr 23 16:26:37
Link not working ?
- From: Ashok (@ nat-52.laurelnetworks.com)
on: Tue Apr 23 16:28:19
how about now
http://www.kgfonline.com/
- From: Ashok (@ nat-52.laurelnetworks.com)
on: Tue Apr 23 20:00:33
if any of you here are from KGF from before my time, ie before the 80s, I would like to know more about it from that time. I have heard great stories from my dad and uncles, however I am curious about what others think too. KGF is so close to my heart, that I am very saddened taht it is on its way to closure. Would also like to know what life in KGF is like these days. I have heard some horror stories, about crimes (ofcourse its natural, considering all these poor people are now unemployed!!! truly sad though)
hopefully there are some people from KGF in this forum
- From: Ashok (@ nat-52.laurelnetworks.com)
on: Mon Apr 29 10:01:04
as promised here is my dads analysis of the situation..
It is really a pity - Mining by very nature cannot last long . It has a
definite end date. Whether this could end today or tomorrow can be a
matter of discussion . ultimately it is economics which determines
When we think of economics, the following were the causes
International price for gold was coming down
The electicity charges imposed by the Mysore governament was increased and
made on par with the rest of the consumers in the state. KGF was having a
concessional rate since they were getting 25 cycles supply from almost 80
year old power station which was not supplying to any one else.
The KGF always got the international price though internal market price was
much higher. All their accumulated loss was due to this . Just imagien we
introduced globalisation selectively to thsia iling Industry employing
socially and economically weaker section of the society
The managment lived in luxury and their wages were contoleed as per
Central Govt wages where as the workers wages were based on bargainign and
based on historically lower wages continuing from colonial days.
The productivity of labour was poor . LAbour indiscipline due to union
activcity and many welfare measures continued thopguh the paying power of
the industry dwindled. Labour unions were vying with one another tobleed
the industry and demands were such that the golden egg laying hen was cut
Unions and Management never coperated for reduction of manpower increase of
labour productivity. The management wanted al the luxuries of Peons, House
servants, personal assistants Secretaries, and army of helpers.
practically none worked by himself.
Well meaning CEO,s who tried to economise by restricting recruitment,
increasing effective hours of working, Rationalsiation of manpower,
reducing manpowers in housing maintenance , sanitation etc were propagated
as anti labour practices.
There was no proper exploration and I still feel that there amy be still
new ore bodies in the place .after 1985 the ceos unions were more
interested in clsoing downa ans selling the assets rather than exploring
the ways for continuing the operations.
it is a pity that a colony which is housing some 12000 employees and their
families is on road to ruins and soon KG F will become a ghost town or
has it already become
- From: siddharth (@ user-2iveaq8.dialup.mindspring.com)
on: Mon Apr 29 13:19:36
KGF has been a losing proposition for several years. The Government tax payers have been paying for the loses), The fault lies with the management and also labor. It has been the experience all over the world that any industry or department run by the government will be inefficient. China and Russia have moved away from it. In U.S. look at the post office and defense department.Also the managers have been appointed not for their know how but because of influence or bribery.
There are five laborers for something that one can do and most of them do not work. There are hartals galore whenever anyone who does not work is punished. Govt. is trying to sell it but who wants to buy a white elephant. So there are two options.
to close it and save the exchequer a ton of money or keep it open to please the labor and the management. The budget will go on increasing due to waste. There will be a day when all the revenue of Karnataka Government will go to this losing proposition and schools and health clinics will have to close as a result. In Kerala and Madhya Pradesh the Public sector companies were losing so much money that the salaries of Government employees could not be paid. There were marches and hartals. Maybe that is a good result but it is the class 3 and 4 employees whose wages are witheld and not the ministers. I am for this second option as there is a chance that the Govt. will be shut down and they will do less harm to the public.
Medha Patkar is against building the dam but she is real quiet during the summer months when the cattle and people die of drought, and she starts her agitation during rainy season.
- From: Ashok (@ nat-52.laurelnetworks.com)
on: Mon Apr 29 13:25:25
haha
Exactly my opinion about medha patkar. She is a dud, and I think she is detrimental to Indias growth. India needs to make some very drastic changes which might be bad at the moment but good in the long run. People like medha patkar and arundhati roy, get their noses into these long term developmental projects because they like to get their names into newpapers. I guess it is free advertising for Arundhati roys next book.
Read what my dad wrote I think it is a good analysis of the situation in KGF
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