HOSPET (Bangalore Province): 9th July 2005 -- Most
industrialised nations with their own mineral resources have a School
of Mines. Bellary district, Karnataka, has one with a difference,
a shameful difference. The Salesian community in Hospet, for 12
years or more strong advocates for children's rights, has been forced
to open school in the very iron ore mines themselves which dot and
disfigure the once fertile agricultural land.
Since 2000 especially, with new Government economic
policies, a shift to privatisation, open market economy, a deregulated
mining industry, and wide-open markets in China, South Korea and
Australia, mining companies have bought up thousands of acres of land
in the Bellary district and employ hundreds of thousands of migrant
workers, mainly Dalits and Tribals.
It is estimated that as many as 200,000 or 50% of the workers are
children, some as young as 5-8 years of age.
Fr Jose Pazheparambil is the Rector of the Hospet
community and executive director of 'Don Bosco' there, a centre which
is in fact many activities: Don Bosco Professional Academy, for one,
offering non-formal courses in vocational trades, Don Bosco Centre for
Social Action, looking after youth groups, women's groups and a project
for Reproductive and Child Health, and Don Bosco Centre for Career and
Entrepreneurial Development Conducts which offers career guidance, job
placement, self-help opportunities, micro enterprise training, you name
it. Fr Jose contacted austraLasia to point out the most recent
developments however, which have forced them to take their schools to
the mines, since the kids often cannot, or are not allowed to, come to
their school which is just 2 kms away from the mines.
The normal schooling, if that is what one can call
it, is a bridge course. "With the consent of parents we bring
them here and keep them here on a bridge course for a while, maybe six
months or more" Fr Jose said. But when the classes have to go to
the mine pits, it's a different story. These 'mobile schools' do
their best but struggle to get their students. Mining is lucrative, and parents connive
at the employment of their children. After all, they need the
money. An April report on Child Labour says that every mine is
flouting all laws on child labour, openly and in full denial.
Children work in hazardous and painful conditions from 6 till 6, handle
toxic waste, are open to exploitation of every kind - and the drop-out
rate from school has noticeably increased.
VOCABULARY
Dalits and Tribals: Dalits are
outside the Caste system. Previously known as Untouchables.
Tribals are indigenous peoples of India
lucrative: to do with earning good money
connive: close an eye to, allow to happen
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