தாதுமணல் தொழிலாளர்களின் தற்போதைய நிலையை வெளி கொணர்ந்த டெக்கான் கிரானிக்கலுக்கு நன்றி!!! நன்றி!!! நன்றி!!!

Link : http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/180617/beach-mineral-mining-ban-shatters-lives.html

Beach mineral mining ban shatters lives

PublishedJun 18, 2017, 6:22 am IST

MBA graduate C. Venkateswaran, formerly a marketing executive in a beach mineral mining company at Thisayanvilai, is now an auto-driver in the town.(Photo: DC)

Tirunelveli: While the Prime Minister pushes his pet ‘Skill India’ campaign for delivering 400 million skills-trained workforce by 2022 to turbo-charge employment generation and economic development, the reverse is happening down south Tamil Nadu.

The four-year ban on beach mineral mining has robbed the employment of over 15,000 skilled youths, who are now battling hunger by turning to menial jobs in the drought-hit Radhapuram region of Tirunelveli district. Apart from such personal agony for these many hapless families, the huge loss to state exchequer by the freeze on its royalty income from the mining could badly hurt its budget planning; not to mention the big dollar losses by derailed exports as the region contributes over 70 per cent of India’s heavy mineral share in the global market.

ITI-qualified Balamurugan of Naalumavadi village had been working in the transport section of a leading garnet processing and export plant at Vallanvilai (Tirunelveli district) for about 10 years when the mining ban hit his company in September 2013. Now the 30-year-old father of three kids has ended up as a construction worker.

“My two sons and a daughter were going to an English-medium school when I was in the company drawing over Rs.15,000 a month. Now they go to a government school because I cannot afford to pay fees. I am just managing to keep them off starving with my meagre income”, Balamurugan told Deccan Chronicle.

MBA grad C. Venkateswaran, 33, of semponvilai, was earning Rs.25,000 a month in the marketing department of a busy beach mineral company but after the ban brought the shutters on the factory, the polio-stricken man is now driving an autorickshaw at Thisayanvilai bus stand to feed his family.

Vetrivel, 32, was taking home a salary of Rs.13,500 working as driver at a beach mineral company. Now a pavement dweller in Chennai, he earns just enough to save the family back in the village from hunger. The mineral company used to provide healthcare for the family but now the medical bills of his aged parents are daunting. “I hope the government lifts this ban and I get back my job”, says Vetri sporting a vacant look.

Dozens of such sad stories fly at the face as one steps into this dark zone that was so full of life and all-round development just four years ago. Murugan, 22, an automobile diploma holder lost his job in the body-building section of a beach mineral company and is now a woodcutter, chopping down the thorny ‘seemakaruvelam’ shrubs. “This wood is supplied to the carbide units near Ottapidaram. I get four rupees per kilo of wood”,  Murugan said.

Krishnammal, 50, managed to educate her daughter even after her husband deserted her when the girl was barely three months old. The mineral company where she had worked took care of the girl’s bills. “My daughter is now in the final B.Com and I must turn to private lenders to pay her fees”, says Krishnammal, also expressing disappointment that her dream of securing an administrative job for her daughter in the company crashed with the mining ban.

Like Krishnammal, many women have been badly hit by the ban and the closure of their factories. Rajeswari, 52, used to earn over Rs.10,000 a month in a factory but now is rolling beedies to feed the family as the factory is closed and the husband is paralytic.

While the mining ban rendered thousands jobless in the coastal districts of Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi, the region has turned into a ‘fertile’ ground for private money lenders. Also, the steep fall in incomes and purchasing power among the locals has badly impacted all businesses and trade here.

Tirunelveli CITU secretary Mohan says a huge human tragedy is emerging out of the beach mining ban. The workers could move the courts for remedy, he says.

State coordinator of Naam Thamilar Katchi, Viyanarasu, strongly came down upon the state government for continuing the ban disregarding impact on the workers’ livelihood. “This blanket ban in the name of regulation is just not fair. What about the welfare of these poor workers?” he asks.

தாது மணல் தொழிலை முடக்கும் அந்நிய சக்திகளின் முயற்சி இன்னும் தொடர்கிறது.

தாது மணல் சம்பந்தமான வழக்கு உயர்நீதிமன்றத்தில் விரைவில் விசாரணைக்கு வருவதை அறிந்து நீதித்துறையில் எதிர்மறையான கருத்துக்களை உருவாக்குவதற்காக அந்நிய போட்டி நிறுவனங்கள் இங்குள்ள சில ஊடகவியலாளர்களை கையில் வைத்து அவ்வப்போது விவி மினரலுக்கு எதிராக பொய் செய்திகளை வெளியிட்டு வருவது போல் தற்போதும் ஒரு பொய் செய்தியை வெளியிட ஏற்பாடு செய்து இது சம்பந்தமாக நான்கரை மணி நேரத்திற்குள் பதில் வேண்டும் என கேட்டு ஒரு மின் அஞ்சல் அனுப்பப் பட்டது. இதன் பின்னால் இதற்கு என ஏற்பாடு செய்யப் பட்டுள்ள சந்தியா ரவி சங்கர் இருக்கிறார் என தெரிந்தாலும் ஊடகவியலாளர்கள் என்றால் நீதித்துறையும் அஞ்சத்தானே செய்யும். ஆயினும் தொழிலாளர்களின் நலனை காக்க உடனடியாக சில விபரங்களை கேட்டு ஒரு மின் அஞ்சல் அனுப்பினேன். அதில் மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் திரு.கருணாகரன் செய்த சட்டவிதிமீறல்கள் பற்றி குறிப்பிட்டு இது பற்றி நீங்கள் கேட்க தயாரா என கேட்டு இருந்தேன். விவி மினரலுக்கு எதிராக எழுத வேண்டும் என நியமிக்கப் பட்டவர்கள் எப்படி இந்த அதிகாரி செய்த தவறுகளை கேட்பார்கள். எழுதுவார்கள். ஆயினும் அவரிடம் இருந்து வந்த மின் அஞ்சல் அதற்கு நான் அனுப்பிய பதில் தொழிலாளர்கள் தெரிந்து கொள்ள கீழே கொடுக்கப் பட்டுள்ளது. 

                                       ************************

From: Sakthi G <sakthi@vvmineral.com>
Date: Thu, Jun 15, 2017 at 5:33 PM
Subject: Tiruneveli District Level Committee's decisions - Our Reply
To: ramakrishnan.t@thehindu.co.in,
Cc: All Media

Sir,

In fact this is issue is dealt with our company Managing Director Mr.S.Vaikundarajan. So he can alone give the correct reply. If you want, you can send mail to him and he will reply with in two days.

On seeing your urgency, I can judge that you have already prepared the story against VV Mineral for the commitments made by you with some persons. So, I  know whatever reply we furnish, you will publish the news only against VV Mineral. Because for that purpose only you have been paid by our competitors according to my information.

You have speak about the district committee decision. If you ask the District Collector whether the district committee issue show cause notice against VV Mineral, as requested by their letter dated 12.10.2016,  if so where is the notice?, which date ? what are the violations  put forth against VV Mineral, Which date it is served? what is the reply received from VV Mineral? on which date you give personal hearing to VV Mineral as requested by them on 12.10.2016? you can find out that, the District Committee particularly Collector M. Karunakaran colluded with Mr. Thangamuniasamy, DD Mines, violated the law, rule every thing. This is only to help the media persons like you to publish false news against VV Mineral, to prejudice the judiciary .

I am attaching herewith copy of G.O. 179 in which the district committee is constituted. If you go through the G.O. the District Committee has the power to enquire appeal if it is filed within 30 days. Whereas in this case, without appeal and without any specific complaint against VV Mineral , the District Committee, at the instigation of Collector Karunakaran decided against VV Mineral without any jurisdiction or any statutory power. No powers have been given either to the District Committee or to any other state government officers to set aside the royalty settled accounts in respect of major minerals. This can done by the Central Govt., Mines Tribunal alone. You can find out the same in section 30 of the MMDR Act.

Moreover if you go through the MC Rule, Rule 2(c),  if the mining is carried out in a non-lease hold area, then only it amounts illegal mining. Excess production does not amounts illegal mining. You can find out the parliament reply. Copy attached.

Any how Collector Karunakaran and Thangamuniyasamy, DD Mines also colluded with people like Sandhya Ravishankar , only to damage VV Mineral reputations, they have cooked the illegal minutes. I think our company may take legal action against the same. If you need any further information, you may contact our Company MD Mr. S.Vaikundarajan or our company advocate Mr. Srinath Sridevan. They can alone give you a clear reply.

Anyhow, though I know that, you have prepared a story against VV Mineral and you will publish the same before 20^th as, a case is listed in the High Court on 20^th, so to prejudice the judiciary according to your commitment, you have to publish some story against VV Mineral before that.  That is why now you are asking the story relating to February. What can we do. ?

Peoples like you who are preparing story for money yourself told that you are fair journalist.

I have one more information. We have asked certain information from the District Committee. Since they have no reply, they did not furnish the reply. Appellate authority also did not furnish reply. When information commission give specific direction to furnish reply within 30 days, then also they did not furnish reply. Ask them to furnish the said information to you. So that you can find out that, all the complaints are relating to other companies and the order passed against VV Mineral was with ulterior motive without following the principles of Natural Justice or law, regulations or procedures,. Can you ready to publish under which provision the District Committee has the power to set aside the royalty fixation order. Whether the committee constituted  a committee in 2015 has the power to decide the issues 10 year prior to the constitution? Does the law permit this? If you are conscious people can you ready to raise this?

We request personal hearing and to inform when we have to furnish reply vide our letter dated 12.10.2016 which was received by him on 13.10.2016. Let him produce any evidence or document that, the District Committee asked or called or send notice to VV Mineral about the proposed action or meeting etc.,. Are you guts to write about that the District authority violated the principle of Natural justice. I know you will not do. Because you people are writing for money.

You can find out lot of information in www.beachminerals.org and vvmemp.blogspot.in

Attachments

1) G.O.  179 – Constituted in 2015 to enquire about the illegal mining complaint. Whereas district committee order is for the period 2001 to 2007 – By violating limitation act, Mines Act and the powers delegated under G.O. 179. No powers given to verify mining plan or royalty account.

2) Parliament Question and Answer – Excess mining is not an illegal mining according to law.  Thus District Committee order is illegal.

3) RTI Act questions – This question is requested because the complaint petition is relating to some other company for which Retd. IAS officer A.Panner Selvam retainer. To save that company, as adviced by A.Pannerselvam,  Collector Karunakaran take action against VV Mineral and save that company from action.

You some media people who are committed to write against VV Mineral use this. Is it right?

Yours truly,

C.Sakthi Ganapathy

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ramakrishnan T <ramakrishnan.t@thehindu.co.in>
Date: Thu, Jun 15, 2017 at 1:27 PM
Subject: Tiruneveli District Level Committee's decisions - Your reply pl
To: "rutile@vvmineral.com" <rutile@vvmineral.com>, "sakthi@vvmineral.com" <sakthi@vvmineral.com>
Cc: Suresh Kumar D <sureshkumar.d@thehindu.co.in>

Dear Mr Rajkumar

This follows our brief tele-conversation this morning:

I would like to have the response of your company to the following  questions:

1) What is your reply to the finding of the Tirunelveli District Level Committee at a meeting on February 14, 2017 that two companies owned by Mr Vaikundarajan - VV Mineral and Transworld Garnet India - had unlawfully transported, during  2000-01 to 2007-08, about 9.82 lakh tonnes and 9.72 lakh tonnes of raw sand respectively (out of a total of 33.59 lakh tonnes) and 7 seven lakh tonnes of beach sand minerals (garnet, illmenite, rutile and zircon) and 1.11 lakh tonnes of the minerals, (out of a total of 16.69 lakh tonnes) ?

2) What is your response to the decision of the committee to treat, as null and void, the royalty settled by your companies along with a few others ?

3) Have you approached the State Level Appellate Forum against this decision?

4) Have you got any relief from the State government or any other forum against the decision of the District Level Committee in November 2016 that V.V. Minerals was guilty of transporting 9.65 lakh tonnes of heavy minerals during 2014-15 and 2015-16 ?
 
I would appreciate your reply immediately as I am planning to file a story today.

Ramakrishnan

Mobile: +91 98410 70354