Mine your business responsibly, says study by NGOs

Pioneer News Service/ Bhubaneswar

In the wake of industrial revolution in Orissa, there is an urgent need for formulating a Responsible Business Behaviour (RBB) Policy and making its adherence mandatory for all business houses, including those operating in the mining sector, reveals a study by a group of NGOs. 


The study was conducted for four mining projects, including Gandhamardan Iron Mines at Suakati in Keonjhar district, TATA Steel Chromite Mines in Sukinda in Jajpur district, Lingaraj Colliery at Talcher in Angul district and Utkal Alumina Project at Kashipur in Raygada district to assess the status and identify measures to promote RBB in mining sector. 

The study reveals that the mining projects in the State often lack a human face and do not take adequate steps to minimise the harmful economic, social, cultural and environmental effects on vulnerable sections of society. 

Very often, people lose their livelihood owing to the mining activities and end up worse than they were before the projects got underway. This sense of loss has predictably led to vociferous protests against mining projects. 

Many mining projects failed to take off owing to stiff resistance by NGOs and activists, demanding a just rehabilitation package for the affected people by the Government and corporate houses.

In some cases, people also stalled projects midway saying that their adverse effects have not been adequately taken care of by the project authorities. 

The study proposed a number of recommendations, including implementation of a clearly defined Responsible Business Behaviour or Corporate Social Responsibility policy by the Government, adoption of HR policies, environment protection measures as per Government policies and regulations, peripheral development of the region and recognition of local needs and demands. 

"The State Government is in the process of making it mandatory for all mining companies to deposit a fixed percentage of their profits towards developmental activities in their respective mining areas with the help of the Mining Cess Act. The State is hopeful that the Supreme Court will clear the Act which has recently been struck down by the High Court," said Minister for IT, Energy and Tourism Surya Narayan Patro.

The report on the study to identify status and scope for enhanced poverty impact was released on Wednesday at a dissemination workshop organised by People's Rural Education Movement (PREM) in association with Concern Worldwide, Partners in Change and Traidcraft.


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