Comments on: THE REALITY OF MINING IN INDIA

By: Tom Pietrasik

Tom Pietrasik — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 09:32:08 +0000

Anshul, thanks for your interest in my blog post on mining in Jharkhand and taking the time to comment. In my view the Hindustan Times has a responsibility to investigate the development claims of mining companies by weighing those claims against the experience of local people in areas like Bokaro. Had the Hindustan Times done so, they would have seen the poverty you describe in my photographs and concluded that mining does not bring development. The question is not whether development in these areas is right or wrong but whether there is any development. There is not.

By: Anshul

Anshul — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:51:01 +0000

Hi Tom,
Congrats on the way you have captured the poverty and utter helplessness of the natives of the state. However, I am curious as to why you are blaming HT for reporting the fact that a new mining set up would be developed? Isnt utilising an area’s mineral wealth the proper way to develop an area? One may argue with the way outsiders come and abuse the locals but development as such shouldn’t be a bad language.

By: Tom Pietrasik

Tom Pietrasik — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:20:28 +0000

Thanks Dr. Kaushik. You have to wonder where the wealth of Jharkhand’s mines goes when road-diversions like those you mention at Kuju and Siwane so cripple the state. I drove across Kuju’s flaming road while photographing for this story. It was an eerie experience crossing at night with smoke drifting up through fractures in the asphalt. I’ve no doubt that it was incredibly dangerous. But the thought of a crack opening up and swallowing us didn’t appear to concern my driver. As you say, life has to go on for the ordinary people of Jharkhand.

By: Dr Kunal Kaushik

Dr Kunal Kaushik — Mon, 10 May 2010 17:57:06 +0000

Excellent photo-essay Tom.I wonder why such things don’t come out of the terribly self righteous Indian media.
I come from Hazaribag,Jharkhand and I have my ancestral home there.I have lived in Delhi for quite some time and will return after finishing my higher studies.
The out of sight thing (in the first response) is so true that it made me feel sad all over.Right from my childhood I have seen Jharkhand being raped and pillaged by assorted thugs and pimps both in and out of the system.And when I out to “India”, for most people this state doesn’t even exist!!
I guess it will matter a bit in case the trains ferrying out the tremendous natural wealth of this hapless state to other states “closer”
to the power centres stop somehow.
We have started believing that minerals have are actually a curse for our state.And we seriously think that as a state it’s actually going back…and Naxalism is a very convenient excuse for the government to explain it’s lack of interest in the development of this “expendable” state.
To give you an example of Goverment apathy…I will take the example of the National Highway 33 that’s considered the lifeline of Jharkhand and it connects Bihar to Jharkhand.It’s the safest way to travel through this state ,a state where more or less all districts are more under Maoist control.For the last 8-9 months this road has been non functional for all practical purposes.At one place near Kuju(another minig town in Hazaribag) due to illegal underground mining done by people in powerful goverment and political positions the highway erupted in flames and was closed down.It’s still closed and till now procrastination,blame games etc etc continue.The “diversion” that was “made” is so treacherous that it has already claimed lives.Meanwhile helicopters fly over this area ferrying “important” people and ambassadors with red beacon lights flashing,with cops in tow shooing away “ornery” people making way for “Sahebs” and “Babus” who join the system for developing such areas, rumble by.
Life goes on…..
At another place on the same highway just as one get’s out of Hazaribag town…there’s a bridge over Siwane that’s been out of bounds for traffic for about 6-7 months because it couldn’t be repaired till date.And the diversion has been strategically created just at the level of the river so that it can get washed off in the monsoons.And thousands of heavy vehicles mostly containing the precious loot from illegal mining in the area ply over this highway everyday..not counting the buses and cars and other vehicles.The overall travelling time on this route has increased by hours.And once the diversions give way the time taken to go from Hazaribag town to the railway station at Koderma will be increased from less than an hour to more than 3-4 hrs.
So much so for lack of development because of “hostile” environs.
If such ham handed approach wont generate hostility what will?

By: Tom Pietrasik

Tom Pietrasik — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 07:34:14 +0000

I am not opposed to development but any discussion on the subject must ask what kind of development and for whom. Thanks for your interest, I would be very happy for you to link to this post on thesouthasian.org.

By: Sanat Mohanty

Sanat Mohanty — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:46:43 +0000

Good photo essay Tom. Those opposing development are a cornered lot in Incredible India today. Articles such as yours provide much needed support.
I would like to post/ link this on thesouthasian.org with your permission
thanks

By: Tom Pietrasik

Tom Pietrasik — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:13:31 +0000

Jyothy, you raise a significant point. For newspapers to remain credible sources of information and informed opinion, we must be confident that they are willing to scrutinize the views of those who have an interest in propagating misinformation. By presenting an industry press release as fact – as appears to be the case here – the Hindustan Times has certainly compromised its own credibility.

This all reminds me of a story recounted by my friend and Independent South Asia correspondent, Andy Buncombe, upon the launch of the much revered Tata Nano motorcar a couple of years ago. Many will recall the near-universal fanfare – both in India and abroad – that met the launch of the US$2,500 “Peoples Car” by Ratan Tata, head of the Tata motor company.

At the press conference accompanying the Nano launch, Andy stuck his hand up to ask Mr Tata a question. Recalling his own treacherous journey to the event, Andy wondered whether Mr Tata had contemplated the idea that the Nano might be last thing Indian commuters needed. As Andy recalled to me, his question was met with consternation among gathered journalists. It was as though he had committed and act of blasphemy against an industry leader who was apparently beyond reproach.

If journalists aren’t willing to ask the questions, it makes you wonder who is!

For more of Andy Buncombe’s entertaining and unflinching insights, check out his blog here.

By: jyothy karat

jyothy karat — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:23:59 +0000

what bothers me is that media is so irresponsible these days. HT isn’t the first paper or the writer mentioned above the first journalist to publish mis-informed articles.. Credibility has become such a rare commodity…i think its fair to have difference of opinions. but to conjure up an opinion and then to present itself as a fact is just not right.

By: Tom Pietrasik

Tom Pietrasik — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 06:30:53 +0000

Lash, I agree that photographs are a powerful tool for raising awareness. I think photographs are at their most effective when used alongside words to, as you say, “bring out the gravity of a situation”.

By: Lash

Lash — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:53:34 +0000

Totally agree with you here Tom & good work with the photos. Pictures can often bring out the gravity of the situation much better than long essays.. and i hope more such photos are clicked and displayed all over so that the city middle class will see the shallowness in the inspirational speeches of development given by industry heads & their media friends…