Trade unions to observe strike
SHIMLA, Oct 24 — The National Platform of Mass Organisations has given a call for one-day strike on December 11 throughout the country against the failure of the BJP government to control prices of essential commodities and plunging the industry in uncertainty by allowing import of many products.

Flouting SC orders on quarrying with impunity
From Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Oct 24 — The ban imposed on slate quarrying in the Khaniyara area here has been rendered ineffective as illegal mining is in full swing.

The Supreme Court orders, banning the mining actively in the forest area, are being flouted with impunity as there is virtually no check on the illegal mining. It is only after obtaining permission from the Ministry of Environment that mining can be resumed in the area. In view of this, permission has been sought from the Centre as some of the area has been indicated as forest land in the revenue records.

Despite a police force and forest employees having been deployed here to check any fresh mining activity, extraction is being done on a large scale. "Though all this is in knowledge of the authorities, nobody has bothered to check those who are indulging in illegal mining," comments a labourer in a mine. On the contrary, there are allegations that the fresh extraction is being done by taking the police force and other agencies, which are responsible for checking it, into confidence. Only 20 police personnel have been deployed at the various exit points in the Khaniyara area to check illegal mining.

Some of the senior officials, when contacted, said that it was the old extracted slates which were being lifted and taken out. It is a matter of common knowledge that the miners on the pretext of lifting the old stocks, which were there before the ban was imposed, have been undertaking fresh mining activity.

Though the BJP had promised to the people of the area during the elections that mining would be resumed if the party was voted to power, so far the matter has not been seriously pursued. "In fact nobody is demanding permits for undertaking mining as otherwise also there is no problem in undertaking the activity in the absence of any check from the authorities," commented one of the locals. Ever since some forest officials were attacked, while checking illegal mining, those indulging in it have been emboldened as no strict action was taken against the guilty.

The State Pollution Board has authorised the Mining Department to issue fresh permits for starting mining activity. The PWD, IPH and revenue authorities have already issued their no-objection certificates to the Mining Department and it is the forest clearance which is being awaited from the Centre before mining can be resumed.

The Mining Officer, Mr Ashok Sharma, said that since permission from the Ministry of Forest and Environment had to be taken before undertaking any non-forest activity in the forest area, the clearance from the Centre was being awaited. "Once the Forest authorities give the NOC to us, we shall be in a position to issue permits to the lessees," he stated. Regarding reports of illegal mining in the area he said that whenever they received any such information they checked the activity.

The Conservator of Forest, Mr O.P. Sharma, said the case for seeking permission from the Centre for undertaking mining activity in the forest area had already been sent to the higher authorities. A total area of 140 hectares, falling in the A and B zones, would be thrown open for quarrying once the approval was received. Though this area was unculturable waste and did not strictly come under the definition of forest land, the approval from the Centre was a must as it was in the name of the Forest Department in the revenue records. Since there were no trees in the area, the forest authorities had sent a favourable case for opening mining activity in Khaniyara.

There are about 10,000 persons who are directly or indirectly involved with the mining activity. A large number of labourers and truck owners are awaiting the reopening of the mines to quarrying.

Trade unions to observe strike
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 24 — The National Platform of Mass Organisations (NPMO) has given a call for one-day strike on December 11 throughout the country against the failure of the BJP government to control prices of essential commodities and plunging the industry in uncertainty by allowing import of many products.

Addressing a joint news conference, Mr M.K. Pandhe, general secretary of CITU and Mr K.L. Mahendra, general secretary of the AITUC, said here today that a number of trade unions had joined hands to launch a united struggle against the "anti-people" policies of the BJP government.

Rail roko and rasta roko will be organised in all states.

They said demonstrations would be held on November 30 when Parliament begins its winter session.

They alleged that the price of onion had shot up because the Atal Behari Vajpayee government allowed its export to benefit certain traders.

The two labour leaders said BJP leaders, who were advocating swadeshi before the Lok Sabha elections, have allowed free import by bringing 340 products under the OGL.This has badly hit the local industry. At least 60,000 industrial units have become sick after the BJP came into power at the Centre. About six lakh units were on the verge of closure.

They said that the growth rate has sharply declined during the BJP regime.

They said agriculture workers, industrial workers, students, youth and women will participate in the agitation against the economic policies of the government.

Chamba massacre: militants identified
From Our Correspondent

CHAMBA, Oct 24 — In a major breakthrough, the security forces have succeeded in identifying and getting photographs of six militants out of the eight who were responsible for the Kalaban-Satrundi massacre in which 35 labourers were gunned down on August 3.

A massive hunt has been launched to apprehend them.

Sources revealed that the alleged captain of these militants was gunned down in an encounter with the security forces in Kashmir.

However, the six residents of the border areas of Chamba district who had been kidnapped by these militants, were yet to be traced.