Children - Terre des Hommes

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48 basic healthcare to its population remains uneven. The 2005 Karnataka Human Development Report recognises that inaccessibility of healthcare and the inability to spend on healthcare increases the vulnerability of ‘sub-populations’ such as the poor, women, SCs and STs, all of whom are at greatest risk of ill-health. 6 Malnutrition amongst pregnant women and infants also remains extremely common, and rates of HIV infection are a cause of great concern in the state. The rapid increase of HIV cases in Karnataka has been alarming; during 2002-03, the rate of infection increased by 106 per cent. 7 According to the most recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS) report (NFHS-3), Karnataka is in the top five states in the country in terms of HIV prevalence, with an estimated 1.25 per cent of the population infected. 8 Status of Children There are 16,845,601 children aged 14 years and under, and 22,227,273 children aged 19 years and under in Karnataka; these children constitute almost 40 per cent of the total population in the state. According to official statistics, there were 72,967 children between six to 14 years who are out of school in the state in 2008. 9 However, Pratham’s Assessment Survey Evaluation Report (ASER) 2008 survey estimates that the actual number of children out of school in the state is higher than this and amounts to 3.6 per cent of the total child population. There are wide geographical disparities across the state in terms of the number of children out of school. Whilst in Bengaluru rural, only 0.2 per cent of children are estimated to be out of school, this rises to 14.1 per cent in Bellary district and 13.6 per cent in Gulbarga district, showing that the state needs to urgently address access to education issues in the Hyderabad Karnataka region. 10 According to the Census 2001, there were 822,615 child labourers (aged 14 years and under) and 2,952,545 children 19 years and under working in the state. 11 However, official statistics for the number of children employed in hazardous occupations are completely unrealistic with only 1,634 officially engaged in this kind of work. 12 In mining and quarrying alone, there were 4,669 children 14 years and under, and 18,276 in the 19 years and under category employed in this sector, according to the Census. 13 The actual number of children working in the unorganised mining and quarrying sector in the state is far higher than these statistics with one fact-finding mission discovering ‘at least a few lakh’ children working in the iron ore mines in Bellary district. 14 A total of 17 districts in the state are currently covered by National Child Labour Project (NCLP) and up until May 2007 11,589 children had apparently been rehabilitated under this scheme. 15 There are wide variations in terms of child health across the state. The 2005 Karnataka Human Development Report observed that rural-urban disparities have actually intensified in the state; the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is 64 (per 1,000 live births) in rural areas, as compared to 24 in urban areas. 16 Again, IMR is higher in the Hyderabad Karnataka region. Only 55 per cent of children aged between 12 and 23 months had received all their basic vaccinations in Karnataka as compared to the neighbouring states of Kerala, where 75.3 per cent had received all vaccinations, and Tamil Nadu where 80.9 per cent had received them. 17 This shows that despite its rapid economic growth, huge challenges remain in terms of child health in the state. Mining in Karnataka The value of mineral production in Karnataka during 2007- 08 was Rs. 44.95 billion. 18 This was an increase of 23 per cent from the previous year. However, the number of reporting mines in the state fell from 231 to 218 during the same period. Karnataka is the main gold producing state in the country. It 6 Planning Commission, Government of India, Karnataka Human Development Report 2005. 7 Ibid. 8 NFHS-3, Chapter 12-HIV Prevalence, 2007. 9 Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 576, dated 21.10.2008, State-Wise Number of Out of School Children in India, as on 31 March 2008. 10 Statistics taken from Pratham, ASER 2008 survey, pp. 112. 11 Census of India, 2001. 12 Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2691, dated 9.8.2000. 13 Census of India, 2001. 14 Our Mining Children, 2005. 15 Accessed from indiastat.com, Compiled from the statistics released by: Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3759, dated on 09.05.2007. and Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 994, dated on 20.08.2007 and Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2415, dated on 03.12.2007, Selected State-wise Number of Child Mainstreamed under National Child Labour Projects (NCLP) in India, till May 2007. 16 Planning Commission, Government of India, Karnataka Human Development Report 2005 17 NFHS-3, Chapter 9 – Child Health, 2007.
49 population of Bellary continues to live in extreme conditions of poverty, in spite of the manganese and iron ore mining there. The district is ranked 17 in the state’s Human Development Index (HDI), clearly indicating that the income generated from mining in the district has not translated into improved living conditions for the majority of the population. Iron ore mining has caused serious environmental problems, with mine waste and dust preventing the cultivation of crops in the area. Large-scale limestone mining in Gulbarga has also encroached upon agricultural land in the district. 23 Iron ore mining in Hospet (Photo- June 2009) is also the sole producer of felsite and the leading producer of iron ore, chromite and dunite. The state hosts 78 per cent of India’s vanadium ore, 74 per cent of iron ore, 42 per cent of tungsten ore, 38 per cent of asbestos, 33 per cent of titaniferous magnetite and 30 per cent of limestone, as well as less significant proportions of a number of other minerals. 19 According to statistics provided by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Government of Karnataka, mining and quarrying has increased as a percentage of the total contribution to the state’s GDP but only marginally—from a 0.5 per cent share in 1999 to a one per cent share in 2007- 08. 20 This shows that despite the amount of land that has been turned over to mining (which totalled over 11,046 ha between 1980 and 2008) 21 and the number of people affected by mining and quarrying in the state, its contribution to the state’s GDP still remains marginal. In terms of employees, around 14,200 people were officially employed in 199 reporting mines in 2005—a slight increase from 13,200 in 2002. 22 Mining is generating little wealth for the majority of the rural population of Karnataka, many of whom continue to live in poverty. The districts of Bellary and Gulbarga are particularly poor, despite the fact that mining has been prevalent in these districts for some time now. An estimated 45 per cent of the Child labour is recognised as a serious problem in the mining sector in Karnataka. Iron ore mining in Bellary is infamous for its large number of child labourers involved, with at least 200,000 boys and girls working in the iron mines in this district. 24 Children as young as 3 years old can be seen at the mine sites, accompanying their parents to work. By the age of seven or eight they start performing a number of jobs at these sites, including hammering away through piles of iron stock and carrying heavy loads on their head. They are employed by mine owners and contractors for digging, breaking stones, sieving, loading, dumping, and transporting and processing iron ore with no safety equipment. 25 Accidents and injuries are common in these mines. Illegal mining is also recognised as a serious problem in the state. In 2008, the Central Empowerment Committee and Lokayukta for the state Santosh Hegde submitted a report calling for the Karnataka state government to urgently tackle illegal mining in the state, in the interests of the country. There have been a number of complaints about politically influential mine owners and politicians with high stakes in the mining industry, using the bureaucracy to carry out illegal mining. 26 Many small mines in the state operate without permits and do not pay taxes. The Kolar Gold Fields (KGF), located in Kolar district, was closed in 2003. No longer the ‘golden land’ of India, what was 18 Ministry of Mines, Government of India, Annual Report, 2008-09. 19 Ibid. 20 Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Government of Karnataka, Table 1 – Gross State Domestic Product, http://des.kar.nic.in/mainpage.asp?option=5, uploaded: 30 November 2009. 21 Accessed at Indiatstats.com, Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 234, dated 20.10.2008. Selected State-wise Forest Land Diverted for Mining by Ministry of Environment and Forests in India (25.10.1980 to 30.09.2008). 22 Accessed at Indiastats.com, Compiled from the statistics released by Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India, Selected State-wise Average Daily Employment and Number of Reporting Mines in India (2002 to 2005). 23 CSE, State of India’s Environment – Rich Lands, Poor People, 2008, pp. 200. 24 Our Mining Children, 2005; and CSE, State of India’s Environment – Rich Lands, Poor People, 2008, pp. 194. 25 Our Mining Children, 2005. 26 The Hindu, State should act against illegal mining: Jethmalani, 24 November 2009.
Page 2 and 3: India’s Childhood in the "Pits" A
Page 4 and 5: iii Acknowledgements This report, c
Page 6 and 7: Table of Contents About the Study 3
Page 8 and 9: 4 List of states and districts visi
Page 10 and 11: 6 However, closer observation of th
Page 12 and 13: 8 In addition, almost all work perf
Page 14 and 15: 10 Impacts Children are affected di
Page 16 and 17: 12 is mandatory and this must be
Page 18 and 19: 15 National Overview Mining has imp
Page 20 and 21: 17 Table 1.2: Number of illegal min
Page 22 and 23: 19 Table 1.3: Key indicators in min
Page 24 and 25: 21 migrate to plain areas or are co
Page 26 and 27: 23 had no land to start with and wo
Page 28 and 29: 25 Although there is no data to sho
Page 30 and 31: 27 2,055 children enrolled in Santu
Page 32 and 33: 29 we will eat tomorrow,” said a
Page 34 and 35: 31 GURIA is a dark-eyed little girl
Page 36 and 37: 33 Serious health problems have alr
Page 38 and 39: 35 In several districts of Rajastha
Page 40 and 41: 37 Table 1.4: Total number of child
Page 42 and 43: 39 Bearing in mind that many of the
Page 44 and 45: 41 children are working in mines in
Page 46 and 47: 43 significant problem. A study car
Page 48 and 49: 45 Part II State Reports 1. Karnata
Page 52 and 53: 50 Kolar district: Key facts Total
Page 54 and 55: 52 and pursued higher education. Th
Page 56 and 57: 54 has created a peculiar aesthetic
Page 58 and 59: 56 number of children working in th
Page 60 and 61: 58 almost every child is absent for
Page 62 and 63: 60 Table 2.02: Survey on children n
Page 64 and 65: 62 the village were cough, eye infe
Page 66 and 67: 65 Maharashtra State Overview Mahar
Page 68 and 69: 67 154 are in Maharashtra (making i
Page 70 and 71: 69 poverty, (ii) education, (iii) h
Page 72 and 73: 71 Quarry is a very big area spread
Page 74 and 75: 73 family works as a unit and manag
Page 76 and 77: 75 Table 2.06: Class-wise distribut
Page 78 and 79: 77 Children in stone quarries hit b
Page 80 and 81: 80 Literacy levels are also poor in
Page 82 and 83: 82 and quarrying in the state. Of t
Page 84 and 85: 84 Follow up interviews were carrie
Page 86 and 87: 86 At Thumbli village, residents ex
Page 88 and 89: 88 usually not strong enough to car
Page 90 and 91: 90 Inadequate Health Facilities Sev
Page 92 and 93: 92 Many of the Workers in the Mines
Page 94 and 95: 94 that 296,979 children aged betwe
Page 96 and 97: 96 This case study covered two mine
Page 98 and 99: 98 Traditional Forest Dwellers (Rec
Page 100 and 101:
100 in the mine sites ekeing out a
Page 102 and 103:
102 Conclusions Panna, once a rich
Page 104 and 105:
104 Commission, Government of India
Page 106 and 107:
106 The top five most mined distric
Page 108 and 109:
108 There are several other content
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110 Table 2.11: Enrolment of childr
Page 112 and 113:
112 companies for their power plant
Page 114 and 115:
115 Jharkhand State Overview The st
Page 116 and 117:
117 population who live in these fo
Page 118 and 119:
119 around coal, but to also provid
Page 120 and 121:
121 Status of Anganwadi Centres and
Page 122 and 123:
123 due to multiple government duti
Page 124 and 125:
125 Uranium Corporation of India Li
Page 126 and 127:
128 farming and forestry. It is the
Page 128 and 129:
130 attendance at birth, the high p
Page 130 and 131:
132 were displaced for mining proje
Page 132 and 133:
134 the impacts are visibly evident
Page 134 and 135:
136 for construction and other indu
Page 136 and 137:
138 Table 2.17: School enrolment da
Page 138 and 139:
140 village also complained of cont
Page 140 and 141:
142 about the status of children in
Page 142 and 143:
144 exposed to the toxicity from th
Page 144 and 145:
146 for labour elsewhere. The prese
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148 State Excesses and Human Rights
Page 148 and 149:
150 Table 2.25: Information collect
Page 150 and 151:
152 The DP Camp is far away from th
Page 152 and 153:
154 Naik and Mr. Prahlad Naid who a
Page 154 and 155:
156 Social Cost of Displacement As
Page 156 and 157:
158 Table 2.32: Comparative village
Page 158 and 159:
160 Rajabandha also has a low cost
Page 160 and 161:
162 on land to be acquired in some
Page 162 and 163:
165 Andhra Pradesh State Overview T
Page 164 and 165:
167 Mining in Andhra Pradesh Almost
Page 166 and 167:
169 small areas where there are qua
Page 168 and 169:
171 other families also working in
Page 170 and 171:
173 Nature of Quarry Work Tradition
Page 172 and 173:
175 Conclusions The three micro-lev
Page 174 and 175:
Part III Summary and Recommendation
Page 176 and 177:
180 Whose Child is India’s Mining
Page 178 and 179:
182 attention on child labour issue
Page 180 and 181:
184 are not working in the mines.
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186 proposed to be the basis of th
Page 184 and 185:
188 explored, clear design and work
Page 186 and 187:
OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE RIGHT TO IN
Page 188 and 189:
193 Andhra Pradesh areas. Appr
Page 190 and 191:
195 Tamil Nadu Orissa informati
Page 192 and 193:
197 compensation for land and R
Page 194 and 195:
Annexures
Page 196 and 197:
200 Karnataka The tables below give
Page 198 and 199:
202 Drop-out children brought back
Page 200 and 201:
205 Glossary Adivasi: The term used
Page 202 and 203:
207 and educational development. Pa
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Children - Terre des Hommes

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