COAL MINING IN INDIA - THE PAST

India has a long history of commercial coal mining covering nearly 220 years starting from 1774 by M/s Sumner and Heatly of East India Company in the Raniganj Coalfield along the Western bank of river Damodar. However, for about a century the growth of Indian coal mining remained sluggish for want of demand but the introduction of steam locomotives in 1853 gave a fillip to it. Within a short span, production rose to an annual average of 1 million tonne (mt) and India could produce 6.12 mts. per year by 1900 and 18 mts per year by 1920. The production got a sudden boost from the First World War but went through a slump in the early thirties. The production reached a level of 29 mts. by 1942 and 30 mts. by 1946.

With the advent of Independence, the country embarked upon the 5-year development plans. At the beginning of the 1st Plan, annual production went upto 33 mts. During the 1st Plan period itself, the need for increasing coal production efficiently by systematic and scientific development of the coal industry was being felt. Setting up of the National Coal Development Corporation (NCDC), a Government of India Undertaking in 1956 with the collieries owned by the railways as its nucleus was the first major step towards planned development of Indian Coal Industry. Along with the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL) which was already in operation since 1945 and which became a Government company under the control of Government of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, India thus had two Government coal companies in the fifties. SCCL is now a joint undertaking of Government of Andhra Pradesh and Government of India sharing its equity in 51:49 ratio.

Nationalisation of Coal Mines

Right from its genesis, the commercial coal mining in modern times in India has been dictated by the needs of the domestic consumption. On account of the growing needs of the steel industry, a thrust had to be given on systematic exploitation of coking coal reserves in Jharia Coalfield. Adequate capital investment to meet the burgeoning energy needs of the country was not forthcoming from the private coal mine owners. Unscientific mining practices adopted by some of them and poor working conditions of labour in some of the private coal mines became matters of concern for the Government. On account of these reasons, the Central Government took a decision to nationalise the private coal mines. The nationalisation was done in two phases, the first with the coking coal mines in 1971-72 and then with the non-coking coal mines in 1973. In October, 1971, the Coking Coal Mines (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1971 provided for taking over in public interest of the management of coking coal mines and coke oven plants pending nationalisation. This was followed by the Coking Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1972 under which the coking coal mines and the coke oven plants other than those with the Tata Iron & Steel Company Limited and Indian Iron & Steel Company Limited, were nationalised on 1.5.1972 and brought under the Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a new Central Government Undertaking. Another enactment, namely the Coal Mines (Taking Over of Management) Act, 1973, extended the right of the Government of India to take over the management of the coking and non-coking coal mines in seven States including the coking coal mines taken over in 1971. This was followed by the nationalisation of all these mines on 1.5.1973 with the enactment of the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973 which now is the piece of Central legislation determining the eligibility of coal mining in India.

MAJOR COALFIELDS IN INDIA

COAL DEPOSITS IN INDIA

COAL PRODUCTION IN INDIA

COALMINES IN INDIA

NATIONWIDE STRIKE CALLED ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2010 BY MAJOR TRADE UNIONS

NEW DELHI: The nationwide strike, called for September 7 by major trade unions, including the INTUC affiliated to the Congress, will be the largest show of strength of the organised movement to protect the rights of workers and the ruling UPA must heed the voice of the people, Communist Party of India's parliamentary party leader Gurudas Dasgupta said on Thursday.

Never before has the Indian National Trade Union Congress joined the call for a strike, and its president G. Sanjeev Reddy is a party to a joint declaration adopted by nine trade unions at a national convention here. Despite the unions' repeated demand for effective steps to check the sharp rise in the prices of essential commodities, the Centre had not responded.

On earlier occasions, the INTUC chose not to strike work arguing that it would lead to loss of production, but now decided to join hands with the other unions, he said.

While the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, which owes allegiance to the BJP, pulled out, the other unions, including the CPI-affiliated All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), the All-India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), the Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), the All-India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), the United Trade Union Centre (UTUC) and the Labour Progressive Front (LPF) have backed the call.

Besides highlighting price rise, the declaration also demanded strict enforcement of basic labour laws and condemned the increasing practice of contract labour and outsourcing and disinvestment of the public sector enterprises.

CITU DEMONSTRATION AGAINST PETRO PRICE HIKE

25-06-2010

CITU activists under the leadership of its senior leader and Vice President MK Pandhe held a protest demonstration and burned the effigy of the UPA II government at the busy ITO centre in New Delhi against the steep increase in the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas and not even sparing kerosene. Several office bearers of CITU including Swadesh Dev Roye, Dipankar Mukherjee, Hemalata, Kashmir Singh Thakur, Shdha Bhaskar and S Punyavathi, working committee members including AR Sindhu, Amitava Guha and large number of CITU members from Delhi participated in the demonstrations.

Addressing the gathering, Pandhe severely condemned the insensitive attitude of the UPAII government towards the sufferings of the common people. In stead of controlling the rising prices, the UPA II government has increased the prices of petrol, diesel, LPG and kerosene which would further increase the prices. He also criticised the decision of the government to link the prices of petroleum prices to international prices. He warned that this would further result in the price rise. Pandhe demanded the government to immediately withdraw the hike and also the decision to link the prices of petroleum products to international prices. He told that such demonstrations were being held all over the country and if the government did not withdraw its decision, CITU, along with all the other trade unions would intensify the struggle.

CITU DENOUNCES DECISION OF DISINVESTMENT IN COAL INDIA AND CALLS UPON WORKING CLASS TO RESIST THE DISASTROUS MOVE

16-06-2010

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions strongly condemns the decision of disinvestment of 10 per cent shares in Coal India Ltd and Hindustan Copper Limited taken by the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs of the UPA Govt on 15th June 2010.

CITU considers such disinvestment is a ploy to set in the process of phased privatization of the blue chip PSUs which are all reserves of the vital natural resources of the country. All natural resources are owned by the country and the people. The UPA Govt has themselves averred this before the Supreme Court very recently. Therefore, handing over the control of such natural resources either wholly or even partially to private entities is totally unconstitutional.

The UPA-II Govt appears to be in extreme haste to quicken up this process of sell-out of public assets and that hurry makes the Govt making a distress-sale. The PSUs disinvested so far by the UPA-II combine are sold at a price much lower than the share price of the respective PSU prevailing in the stock market during the day/period of sale. If this is not selling public assets for a song on a platter –then what else?

The major partner of the UPA-II combine, the Trinamool Congress Chief has reportedly justified her silent approval to this disinvestment commenting that since Central Trade Unions like CITU and INTUC are not opposing disinvestment of Coal India Ltd, why she should oppose the same, as per report published in the Press (Anandabazar Patrika, 16-6-2010). This is nothing but opportunism and hypocrisy and shows total disregard to factual truth for political expediency.

The entire country knows that all the Central Trade Unions and independent federations in the country including CITU and INTUC recorded their strong opposition to disinvestment in PSUs and have been planning for countrywide strike action in the days to come on five point demand which includes opposition to disinvestment as well. The Coal India Workers have already recorded their strong opposition to the disinvestment move through massive countrywide strike in the industry on 5th May 2010 at the call of All India Coal Workers’ Federation (CITU) and have now been preparing for a bigger and a longer strike in the event the Govt moves ahead for disinvestment.

CITU calls upon the working class irrespective of affiliations and the patriotic people to oppose and resist the disastrous anti-national move by the Govt of the day to sell out public assets for a song to private entities through disinvestment of shares of country’s PSUs one by one, through countrywide mobilizations and united actions.

NATIONAL CONVENTION OF COAL WORKERS ON 2ND JULY, 2010 AT ASANSOL, WEST BENGAL

NATIONAL CONVENTION OF COAL WORKERS

AGAINST PRIVATISATION OF COAL INDUSTRY

FOR IMMEDIATE OPENING OF NCWA-IX NEGOTIATION

* Rabindra Bhawan, Asansol *

2nd. July, 2010

Resolution on Programme of Struggle

This Convention of Coal Workers held in Asansol Rabindra Bhawan on 2nd. July, participated by 981 delegates representing Trade Unions affiliated to different National Federations, independent of affiliations functioning in Coal India and its subsidiaries and addressed by Presidents of All India Coal Workers Federation (CITU), Akhil Bharatiya Khadan Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Hind Khadan Mazdoor Federation (HMS) Bharatya Khadan Mazdoor S National leaders from (HMS) and by other leaders and delegates , decides unanimously to carry forward Coal Workers’ united resolve into a common opposition against Government’s move for privatizing Coal India and to disinvest 10% of its share as the immediate step. The Convention rejects Government offer of 1% holding to workers, as undignified & manipulative intention to use workers as shield for the purpose of this illegal and unethical move.

Convention resolves unanimously to carry forward the struggle of coal workers against all such decisions, actions from the part of Coal India Managerment and the Government to divide the miners by way of introduction of discriminatory wage, benefit, PRP or through otherwise and through introduction of slave wages in the name of contracterisation. Convention calls upon all miners irrespective of affiliations and working positions to unite into a powerful campaign demanding immediate opening of NCWA-IX for settling coal workers wage and benefits, in line of parity, rationality, mutual dignity, also for abolishing the scar of contract system through absorption of all contractor workers engaged against permanent jobs and for meeting them similar wage as available for permanent workers pending such absorption. .

Convention having recognized the fact that the implication of coal mining goes beyond slaughter mining and slaughtering of miners, also raises question mark about the very existence of civic societies risen in mining cities in course of public ownership, industrial developments around existing and prospective mining areas, and threatens the prevention of land subsidence, reclamation of land after mining , causes concern on the matter of compensation for mine expansion and relief land oustees, resolves to unite and involve all such societies including that of the coal workers’ families into campaign of resistance against privatization.

Convention resolves to step up a phased campaign in the second stage of the struggle for the unity of all workers irrespective of their affiliations, all National Federations and Independent trade unions into a resistance struggle culminating into a nationwide 48 hours coal workers’ strike, to be scheduled in a manner so that the strike is materialized well ahead of actual process of disinvestment begins.

Convention expresses its happiness for the reason that All the National Federations in the Coal Industry has risen by now to join the resolve of coal workers for fighting the menace of privatization and dignified wage and service condition for coal workers. It directs all the trade unions party to this convention to join the resistance campaign likely to be carried by the Federations individually and collectively. Convention views that all the resolutions adopted in the convention including that of the decision for 48 hours strike is just the expression of united desire of workers. It appeals and expresses hope that All the National Federations who have risen to oppose the privatization would either unify themselves to find dates jointly in the month of August or they may announce their own dates with which the Convention is ready to synchronize. Convention appeals otherwise to them for synchronizing their dates with the dates the All India Coal Workers’ Federation may announce in default.

Convention announces the following phases of program accordingly :

(1) Holding of united meeting in all pit heads announcing the decision of Convention and involving common workers with its resolve during the period between 8th and 11th. July.

(2) Holding of convention/seminar/workshop in every mine, mining areas involving workers, workers’ families and other members members/organisation concerned with mining societies during the period between 11th. And 24th. July. 2010.

(3) Black badge wearing to mark the protest against the black decision of Privatisation on
27th and 28th July

(4) Demand badge wearing during 3rd. and 6th. August to culminate into a joint demonstration on 6th. August before the Area Manager and submission of memorandum.

(5) Rath yatra against privatistion through organizing decorated tablos and followed by motor bike procession all the areas connecting different mines and coal cities between 7th. And 14th. August.

(6) Observing 15th. August as the day of India for Public and against privatizing India.

(7) These program will be synchronized with other program relating to the 48 hours strike which may be announced individually by National Federatioon or Federations collectively by last week of July after completing the process of mutual consultations.

Convention calls upon the call workers to response the call likely to be given from convention scheduled in Delhi on 15th and jointly convened by National Trade Unions on five points charter including against disinvestment of Public sector industries.