Workers' union oppose commercial coal mining

KOLKATA: Indian National Mineworkers’ Federation (INMF) has decided to oppose center’s decision of allowing commercial mining in coal.

“…to start with, it will…join the ‘Protest Day’ on May 22 by central trade unions. Thereafter, the central trade unions in the coal sector will be consulted to decide the future course of action after the 4th phase of lockdown ends,” INMF said in a statement.

S Q Zama, Secretary General INMF said: “Allotment of coal blocks to private companies and even to government companies under Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 did not take off except for few exceptions.

“The government had planned for 1 billion tone production for CIL by 2020 which also crashed not because of lack of workers response, but governments’ own lack of scientific and professional approach.”

According to him the government failed to visualize low power demand during next few years as evident from decrease in import of non-coking Coal. CIL has sustained itself without any budgetary support since 1991-1992 and increased its efficiencies despite massive reduction in manpower.

“To our estimation, there is less possibility of foreign direct investment due to bleak future of coal due to Paris Accord - 2015 against climate change,” he said.