Slowdown on sand mining along Balasan hits women labourers 

Labourers in Siliguri starve as sand mining work comes to a halt / 2000 labourers affected as sand mining work halts in Siliguri

The ban on mining work in the Matigara block of Siliguri, West Bengal has left over 2000 sand-lifting labourers struggling to make ends meet

By Roshan Gupta

The economic impact of the pandemic is being seen all over the country, with lakhs of people losing their livelihood. In the Matigara block of Siliguri, West Bengal, over 2000 labourers who are solely dependent on the sand lifting business along the Balasan river, believe if Covid-19 won’t kill them, hunger definitely will.

In March last year, a ban was imposed on the sand mining business in Siliguri. As cases of Covid-19 subsequently dipped, the work resumed but just for three months. The ban, once again implemented in March this year, has currently been extended till mid-September 2021. (Please check.) Being jobless for months, the labourers are struggling to provide for their families and many are on the verge of starvation. Most of them are also not getting vaccinated as they would rather spend time looking for work than standing in queues to get the jab.  

Economic impact

The economic condition of the villagers under Matigara block −­ Dhimal Jote, Sisabari, Balasan Colony, Palpara, Lenin Colony under Atharakhai Gram Panchayat has deteriorated following a ban on the work of lifting minerals from the river bed (This ban was only post the pandemic right?). At least around 2000 workers, 80 percent of whom are women, earn their livelihood lifting sand/boulders, while their men spend their day drinking. In addition, many lost their jobs since machines replaced workers to load the trucks with river minerals.

Most of the people residing in these villages are migrants, who have no other source of livelihood. Some are native tribes while the rest are from the Dhimal community, a diminishing community residing in West Bengal and Nepal, who earn their livelihood by farming or working as labourers.

Sand mining industry and impact

A lot of the sand mining going on in Siliguri is illegal, says Animesh Bose, the programme coordinator of Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (HNAF), a non-profit organisation based in Siliguri. “Siliguri has a major demand for construction and there are two rivers supplying the raw materials — Mahanada river and Balasan river. However, the Mahananda river is considered as the most polluted river in north Bengal, according to the West Bengal pollution control board,” he said.

Talking about the impact of sand mining, he revealed, “The illegal sand mining has a huge impact on the river ecosystem. The river gets polluted with the leakage of the gear oils and day-long human activities on the river bed hampering both aquatic flora and fauna. These activities lead to change in the river course, which can be devastating and biodiversity can be damaged.”  

He stated that a maximum amount of sand lifting has now been shifted to Balasan as it is located on the outskirts of the town and about 2000 labourers who have migrated from other places are directly dependent on the river for their livelihood.

Bose further added that specific guidelines have been prescribed for such activities by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).  “But no one pays heed to the guidelines. Moreover, there is no vigilance from the Land and Land Reforms Department as without their permission nothing can be done. The lack of vigilance in the royalty process causes a loss of crores of rupees every year. A tender is called by the department which specifies from where the lifting can be done but if the permission has been given for 100 trucks, 1000 trucks are involved in the process without paying the royalty,” he explained.  

Struggle for survival

Legal or illegal, for the labourers dependant on the mining industry, a ban results in starvation. Pratima Roy, a resident of Sisabari village, used to support her family of five with her earning of Rs 300 a day. “But now, there is no food in the house. We have gotten used to skipping meals due to the situation. We have no source of income. Moreover, my husband spends his entire day drinking. We are solely dependent on the weekly supplies provided by the government but most of the labourers are deprived of that too as they do not possess a ration card. That is why we leave our houses in search of jobs early in the morning but have to return empty handed in the evening. Last year too we did not get any help from the government but we somehow survived. But this time things are very tough. Our cry for help falls into deaf ears of the owners we work for,” said Roy.

Prashant Barman, who has been in the business of lifting sand/stones for the last 20 years, added that the advancement of technology and increased use of machinery has also led to many people losing their jobs. “Many workers have moved to Nepal in search of work,” he said. According to him, a machine replaces the work of at least 100 labourers. Such machines started to be used extensively after the lockdown to expedite the work. 

Prashant and his wife Rogoni, who also does the same work, are the only bread earners for their family of nine members. “Last year we had taken a loan of Rs 1.05 lakhs due to the pandemic to stabilise the family condition, but we are unable to pay the monthly instalment of Rs 3500 following suspension of work. We go the river every day and wait in the hope of getting some work but no one turns up,” said Prashant dejectedly.

Government Regulations

According to a fresh notification released from the West Bengal government (when was it released?)1/06/2021 , office of the District Land and Land Reforms Officer, Jalpaiguri, ‘No river and sand mining be allowed in rainy season in terms of the sustainable management guidelines, 2016 of Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MOEF&CC).’

Another notification released recently by the district magistrate and collector Jalpaiguri, Moumita Godara Basu, stated that ‘all riverbed sand mining operation shall remain suspended under the jurisdiction of the district of Jalpaiguri due to onset of monsoon from 16/06/2021 to 15/09/2021. Necessary commencement order for lifting, loading and transportation of sand from riverbed will be notified in due course from this end, keeping in view the rainy season in the district; MOEF&CC guidelines; the riverbed replenishment status and the EC conditionalities of each mine.”

The notification further stated, ‘all the respective District Level, Sub-Divisional Level and Block Level Task Forces are hereby directed to conduct frequent raid programmes at the various strategic locations under their respective jurisdiction. This order will be in force until further order.’

S Ponnambalam,joint secretary, Land and Land Reforms (Please confirm) said there are guidelines from the NGT on such activities. “The administration has neither allowed nor barred them. However, if we receive any complaints on such activities, the administration will take actions against those involved,” he said.  (Ignore this please)   

Darjeeling District Magistrate , S Ponnambalam said, "We have not entirely banned it ,we are working on it, the process is on . We will put regulation but have not issued any ban order. We can find a way out as there are emergency works going on as of now . We are looking into it and soon come up with some solution”.

According to the Darjeeling district administrative officials, for essential work relaxation has been given :-for flood protection work , disaster management , road repairing. Oxygen plant work going on construction for COVID hospitals and other emergency issues. . This cannot be entirely banned as lot of work are going on and if ban comes up there will be delay in the work for at least 3 months