Children - Terre des Hommes

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Health problems of children living in mining regions were
found to range from chronic to severe respiratory illnesses,
malaria, dysentery and diarrhoea, birth deformities,
mental and physical disabilities, sexual abuse—all related
to pollution, contamination and vulnerability caused by
mining. The Health Department does not have adequate
data or records to either take action or provide diagnostic
analysis of the health problems they treat and the pollution
due to mining. It is difficult for affected communities or even
individual patients to get accurate diagnosis as it is normally
claimed that pollution is within permissible limits and
that health problems are related to social malpractices and
addictions of mining communities rather than associated
with mining. Most of the case studies, however, identified
several diseases, deformities and chronic illnesses among
children, associated with mining, as reported by the parents
and communities.
The most glaring situation that was witnessed in all the case
study areas visited was the high levels of malnutrition among
children in the mining regions. Majority of the children
were found to be severely and chronically malnourished. Illimplemented
anganwadi programmes are far from adequate
to address this serious problem of food insecurity created
by mining. Coupled with this, the recession in the mining
industry since 2007 that also overlaps with a sudden
increase in the price of basic food commodities and fuel, has
aggravated the malnutrition situation among mining affected
children whose families are unable to purchase food to feed
them. Neither did we find the NREGA programme, which
is intended to guarantee employment, and therefore food,
being implemented for more than 15–30 days in a year, in
any of the case study areas.
Majority of mine workers are in the informal sector where the
mine owners and contractors cannot guarantee sustained work
or wages to the workers. Hence, the conversion of agricultural
lands to mining activities, has led to a situation where neither
mining is providing a regular income nor is agriculture, which
has been made unviable due to a crisis brought by air pollution
and water depletion from mining activities.
Adivasi children have been losing their Constitutional
rights over their lands and forests when their families are
displaced from their lands. The results of rehabilitation that
we saw in Orissa and Jharkhand reflect the apathy of public
authorities towards displaced persons. That the displaced/
affected have ended up in impoverishment with no means of
regular livelihood or incomes does not seem to have affected
the companies or the state as meagre cash compensation is
being offered as rehabilitation in the new projects in lieu of
lands being taken for mining.
The degeneration of social security due to an industry ruled
by mafia, crime, corruption and violence was visible in all
the mining areas visited. If one looks at juvenile crime,
particularly in adivasi areas, one rarely comes across issues
of adivasi children in conflict with law. Yet in mining affected
regions, where the case studies were conducted, it was seen
that even adivasi children are exposed to crime and are in
conflict with law, which is a direct negative impact that mining
has brought on the social fabric. In every case study area,
women had a serious common complaint—that alcoholism
dominates their lives and how it is destroying their economic
and social well-being as no other facilities are as accessible in
mining areas as liquor is. In most of our field visits we found
schools and anganwadi centres surrounded by mine sites in
their backyards where truck drivers and mine workers were
seen to be gambling or consuming alcohol under the shade
of school/anganwadi premises. Yet all pillars of democracy
stand incapable and helpless in controlling this lawlessness
and statelessness.
Thus, in the entire chain, the mining companies have shown
little responsibility since accountability is voluntary and
based on best practices of CSR. Child labour, for instance, is
an issue that evokes global public conscience, and is the most
tangible reality that is a non-negotiable human rights issue.
This in itself is one of the most difficult to provide numbers
or evidence to hold the companies accountable. In India the
large companies do not engage child labour directly. Yet, most
often they are dependent on supply of raw or processed ore
from informal mines, contractors or illegal mines which are
geographically scattered, activities are erratic and are mostly
dependent on migrant labour whose numbers are difficult
to trace. This was seen in Keonjhar, Bellary, Panna, Jodhpur
and Sundergarh where child labour in the mines is a huge
reality but the companies are elusive.
While conducting research for the case studies we found
children openly working in several mine sites, but scattered
in numbers, partially attending school and partially working.
However, as there is no proper record of informal or illegal
mines itself, the existence of child labour is nullified. The
intimidation faced by children and their families prevents
them from articulating their problems or giving accurate
information. Although mineral stones like sandstone, marble
and others which are exported, have started receiving global