Occasionally, in a world full of bad news, something heartening happens that unites everyone and once again renews our faith in humanity. The remarkable rescue of 33 miners in Chile was one such occasion. The world was glued to their television sets watching how, slowly and painstakingly, each of the miners was brought up from the bowels of earth into the waiting arms of their loved ones. Families, friends, ordinary Chileans and even the president of the country were there, on the spot, to welcome each miner. It was a remarkable national effort with a lot of help from NASA, which advised on the best way to ensure that the survivors did not suffer any shock to their system when they came to the surface after 69 days underground.

But most of all, it was a testimony to leadership. At no stage during those two months and more was there any let up in the national effort to ensure that the men were rescued. While the miners kept up their spirits underground – they sang and jogged – overground the government made a commitment that it would do everything to save these poor workers. No wonder Chile is the toast of the world and the country is in a celebratory mood. This is what governance is all about.

Mines are in the news in India too, but for all the wrong reasons. In Orissa, an attempt by Vedanta to start mining bauxite was nixed by the Indian government after environmental activists raised objections and local tribals protested at the desecration of their sacred hills. In Maharashtra, companies are eyeing sites in sylvan Ratnagiri to start mining and in Karnataka, the shaky state government is beholden to the so-called Bellary brothers who control vast tracts of mines and are now big political players. In each case, the narrative is that of companies or individuals using political and other clout to bulldoze their way through regulations and the concerns of the locals to extract, literally, precious minerals from the earth.

There are allegations of environmental degradation, flouting of labour and other laws and complete disregard for the opinions of local villagers. If the Vedanta project did not take off, despite the financial and other muscle of the company, it was because the story took on an international dimension. The state government saw it only in terms of investment, but it had to beat a hasty retreat once it became clear that the central government was not inclined towards the project. New Delhi on its part was becoming worried about the campaign of the villagers which had reached international capitals, especially London, where Vedanta was based. Once British companies started withdrawing their investments, the project became untenable.

Some questions arise: Is all mining bad? Don’t we need all those minerals to keep our industries humming? What about all the jobs and profits that mining companies generate? The answers are no longer simple. In another era, when top down planning was the order of the day and people rarely had any say in decisions that affected their lives, companies got a licence (through political clout) and set up shop wherever they wanted to and started mining. Many a fortune has been made by those who got mining concessions a long time ago. Today, the world is a different place. News travels fast, information is easily accessible and people are more politically aware. They want to participate in the decision making process and more important, get something out of it too.

The tribals of Orissa may have objected to Vedanta on cultural grounds, but making them partners and stakeholders in the project could make a big difference. In Botswana, for example, big diamond prospectors pay royalty to locals for mining rights and this has made the community and the country very rich.

The environment is another huge issue. There are laws in India about ensuring that the local environment is not completely damaged due to mining and what the company must do once the mine is exhausted. However, no one follows these laws and most old mines look ravaged. Labour rights and safety are also equally if not more important. In short, the company must not be seen as rapacious but as a model citizen which invests in the best technology and brings jobs and local welfare too.

Again, leadership will be critical here. Politicians and governments will have to realise they have to be answerable to the public and not only worry about big investors. Investment is important, but not at any cost. This does not imply all investment is naturally suspect; but one can be sure that all the important boxes will have to be ticked.

In Chile, after the disaster, the government is looking at mining safety closely. In India, we need to do the same with mining in general. The controversy over mining may delay a project here or there, but if it ultimately generates effective laws and more transparency, it can only lead to the larger good.

This article is written by Sidharth Bhatia is a senior Indian journalist who has worked in print, broadcast and online media. He is a columnist and regular commentator on current affairs for several leading publications and on national television.

He can be contacted at  sidharth01@gmail.com

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