Like a lot of other truckers, Syed Samiullah, an iron ore transporter from Kamalapur in Hospet is not overjoyed by the Supreme Court's decision to partially lift the ban on mining in the three iron ore-rich districts of Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur. Nearly 40 per cent of the truckers in the district, which saw nearly 20,000 trucks raising dust on its roads every day when mining was at its most lucrative, are unwilling to return to the business, aware that their profits are unlikely to touch the dizzying heights of the past, according to industry sources.
“Frankly speaking, there is nothing to celebrate. You cannot even expect to meet your maintenance expenses when thousands of trucks are competing to get orders from a few mines and with the many environmental and other statutory restrictions placed on transport of ore sold through e-auctions," says Mr Samiullah.
The response has been equally subdued among mining-dependent subsidiaries and other business establishments in the mining towns of Bellary, Sandur, Hospet, Chitradurga, Hosadurga and Chikkanayakanahalli, as they are unsure of what the partial lifting of the ban will mean in terms of profits. The stock market too appeared cold to the development, as mining stocks did not see great movement after the Supreme Court order as most were aware that mining will no more be a business of fly-by-night operators flouting norms, but an organised, scientific and sustainable business monitored by a bunch of agencies, including a Supreme Court constituted panel.
The mining dependent communities who welcome the September 3 order permitting resumption of mining in Category “A” leases , too see a long road ahead as mining resumes in a changed avatar.
Secretary-general of the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries, R.K. Sharma, however, hopes the partial lifting of the ban will pave the way for the opening of other categories of mines soon. "Now we can hope that the 72 “B” category mines will also be allowed to restart as long as they meet the court's and government's conditions,” he says.
Bellary-Sandur-Hospet Mine Owners' Association general secretary, Hothur Mohammed Iqbal, says miners are keen on resuming mining not to make the windfall profits of the “golden days” , but to sustain an industry that many depend on. “We know that mining will not be lucrative anymore, but this industry must be viewed sympathetically,” he adds.