The Hindu : Move to privatise coal mines to be opposed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 09, 2003

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Move to privatise coal mines to be opposed

By Our Staff Correspondent

NEW DELHI AUG. 8. Coal miners across the country will chalk out an action plan to protest the proposed privatisation of coal mining, at a national convention to be held at Asansol in West Bengal on August 14.

The All India Coal Workers Federation, president, M.K. Pandhe, in a statement here on Friday, alleged that the Government was going ahead with the plans to privatise coal mines through the backdoor. ``Illegal contractorisation of production jobs by unscrupulous contractors, who pay paltry wages to workers even below the minimum wages fixed by the State Governments, is on the rise.'' ``The Centre has allowed washed coal to be sold in the market by these contractors who sell coal at prices below the price fixed by the coal industry. They neglect safety and workers are denied the statutory benefits.''

The import of coal had increased despite the possibility of enhancing production indigenously, Mr. Pandhe said adding that 31 areas had been marked to be given to the State Governments which, in turn, would hand them over to the contractors to exploit the coal workers. ``Corruption is eating into the vitals of the coal industry and adding to the losses.

Despite an improvement in the performance of the workers, the working conditions did not show much improvement, he said while inviting all trade unions to attend the national convention.''

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