Life of a coal miner in Punjab

[Devil Soul]

Life of a coal miner in Punjab
30th July 2014 | By Reuters
Workers at this mine in Choa Saidan Shah dig coal with pick axes, break it up and load it onto donkeys to be transported to the surface.

Employed by private contractors, a team of four workers can dig about a ton of coal a day, for which they earn around $10 to be split between them.

The coalmine is in the heart of Punjab, Pakistan's most populous and richest province, but the labourers mostly come from the poorer neighbouring region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Miners take a break to drink water inside a coal mine in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

Hills which contain coal are seen in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

Miner Mohammad Ismail, 25, digs in a coal mine in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

A miner wipes sweat from his forehead inside a coal mine in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

A miner covered in coal dust sits inside a mine in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

A miner with a donkey makes his way through the low and narrow tunnel leading out of a coal mine in Choa Saidan Shah in Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

Donkeys stand at the entrance of a coal mine in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, May 5, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

 

[Devil Soul]

A miner unloads coal as he stands in a coal field in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

A miner loads coal onto a truck outside a mine in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

A truck drives past a coal field in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, May 5, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

Miners pose for a photograph at the coal face inside a mine in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

Samiullah, who says he is 14-years-old, sits at the coal face to observe the process of coal mining, underground in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

Samiullah prepares tea after finishing work at a coal mine in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, May 5, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

Samiullah, who claims to be 14-years-old,washes dishes at a coal mine in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, May 5, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

Samiullah carries water for his uncle's bath at a coal field in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, May 5, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

 

[Devil Soul]

Samiullah watches the other miners play cricket at a coal field in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, May 5, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

A miner plays cricket in the evening at a coal field in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, May 5, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

A miner cooks Pashtun roti (bread) after finishing his shift at a coal mine in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, May 5, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

A miner performs afternoon prayers at a coal field in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, May 5, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

Miners rest in their rooms at the end of the day at a coal field in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

A miner washes after finishing his shift at a coal mine in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, April 29, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

Miners watch TV in a room at a coal field in Choa Saidan Shah, Punjab province, May 5, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

 

[Hiptullha]

Maybe Shahbaz Sharif should give them a Metro Bus?

 

[Leader]

This is fuccking slavery, not life and I know some of the sites in Khushab and Mianwali... bloody slavery of the leased contractor, who happens to be the feudal of the area... absolutely criminal bc !

 

[VCheng]

This is fuccking slavery, not life and I know some of the sites in Khushab and Mianwali... bloody slavery of the leased contractor, who happens to be the feudal of the area... absolutely criminal bc !

Can't the government cancel the lease and develop the mine with modern equipment to increase production and provide the workers with good employment at the same time?

 

[Jango]

Can't the government cancel the lease and develop the mine with modern equipment to increase production and provide the workers with good employment at the same time?

The government has better things to do, build a Roshan Pakistan for example....by building Metro, Bullet trains, water fronts, giant flagpoles etc!

 

[VCheng]

The government has better things to do, build a Roshan Pakistan for example....by building Metro, Bullet trains, water fronts, giant flagpoles etc!

Those things are important too (except the giant flagpoles) and increasing production at this mine would help ease the power situation too.

 

[Leader]

Can't the government cancel the lease and develop the mine with modern equipment to increase production and provide the workers with good employment at the same time?

Yes they can revoke proving illegal mining, like KP govt did with the Chinese firms in stone mining..

but the new contract must also go to the local party, as some legal issue of partnership in lease that makes govt to share the benefit of the mine..

another problem is involvement of govt department itself in illegal mining and over-looking of mal-practice with labor force..so money keeps everyone quiet..

 

[VCheng]

Yes they can revoke proving illegal mining, like KP govt did with the Chinese firms in stone mining..

but the new contract must also go to the local party, as some legal issue of partnership in lease that makes govt to share the benefit of the mine..

another problem is involvement of govt department itself in illegal mining and over-looking of mal-practice with labor force..so money keeps everyone quiet..

The Government has mineral rights and it can change the law any way that suits national interest, if it wants to do so.

 

[halupridol]

that looks bad,,,,here in India anthracosis/pnemoconiosis is rampant in the mining community.

 

[Leader]

The Government has mineral rights and it can change the law any way that suits national interest, if it wants to do so.

well thats the issue in Balochistan...they resist unjust laws.

 

[VCheng]

well thats the issue in Balochistan...they resist unjust laws.

Unjust? How can that be the case if they are partners in the development of these resources so that they benefit too? The projects need to be structured properly, that is all.

 

[Leader]

Unjust? How can that be the case if they are partners in the development of these resources so that they benefit too? The projects need to be structured properly, that is all.

I thought you were saying that govt should own the whole mine... the only problem is implementation of laws, and lack of strong unions of workers.. while contractor manipulate the situation as govt do nothing to benefit workers..

 

[Imran Khan]

ملا کی پیشانی پہ بنے نشان سے بھی زیادہ مقدس مزدور کے ھاتھوں کے چھالے ہیں!!