Mining mafia: a threat to democracy
The rising prices of minerals in the international markets have prompted a nexus between some greedy politicians and mine owners to the detriment of public interest. These politicians in power, irrespective of the state and party they belong, have hatched a conspiracy to defraud the country of its natural resources and make money, flouting every rule of the land and cannons of democratic institutions. The recent events highlighted the occurrence of this phenomenon in states of Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Karnataka and Chattisgarh. Everywhere it starts with the nexus between political system and mining lobby where large chunks of mining land, involving thousands of crores of rupees worth minerals, are allotted to chosen few ignoring the rules and regulations. The antiquated mining rules- which require only nominal royalty - and unequipped mining bureaucracy which cannot stop illegal mining in un-allotted areas result in plundering of wealth to be shared by some politicians and mining mafia.