Prologue: While doing some sort of googling on my thought process and how it should come about, I came across a very very interesting open letter written to Mr.Chidambaram. Kudos to Mr.Arun Agrawal. Here is the link.
Last part after the long monotones in the previous one must be a good feeling for few people who might have bothered to read it… it did help me a lot though…
Understood that their do exist some factions who are terrorists in the true sense of the word and I seriously feel that they should be wiped out with the use of any sort of force which may be required. On the other hand, there are majority of the people in these areas who have taken up arms or are supporting the “cause” just because they feel that the governments who are supposed to represent them are not just. Of course, education helps since you get a more open mind to thinking….but how many governments have seriously made any effort to educate? It will take extra effort because all these people have always lived without the need for any education other than how to survive in jungles.
Again, I will in no way say that mining in these areas should be banned in any way. 200,000 crores is not a small amount in any way and this is the amount of production that is estimated to have happened in 2010-11. Mining should be taken up but it should come with some clauses:
1. Clause 1: Equal profit sharing by the people of the area and the labor. The money may not be given directly to them but should be used for land development after the mine is closed and bring about self sufficiency and education to the people of the area. COMPLETE transparency required in all these activities.
2. Clause 2: Health and hygiene should be properly maintained in the mines for the people working there.
What (in my view) is needed is to handle this entire operation with a carrot and stick approach. Of course the most essential thing is the leader and his team should be clean in that no monetary gains of any sort should be available to them. Their asset holdings should be carefully monitored by an independent charge for which they should give all data required at any point of time.
Post this, the tribals should be allowed to appoint their own committees to assess each area’s potential in mining and what they require from the mine holders. These committees should be assisted by authorized scientists who will support the functioning.
After this exercise, with representation from all stakeholders, and time-bound due diligence, way out for mining activities should be proposed. (I am sure my two clauses above will find their way into these..)
Again the exercise above should lead to two things:
1. Mining will be more legitimate and illegal mining will be reported by locals more easily since they know legal mines will give them more stake.
2. Tribes will have more confidence in the work being done for them and they will show more readiness in supporting the center.
Once confidence is brought back, helping local people build basic infrastructure by providing with support (not completely financial since we know how much of it lands up with the naxals). Building hospitals (with local ways of treatment incorporated), schools, ensuring scholarships for capable students, providing with ways of living and earning by interacting more with the world outside will help a lot…. And frankly, who will have a problem with this? And if someone does, ask them what they want and why…and give it (unless it is some stupid grant which never finds its way to the place where it is intended to reach).
Over time, as local support for naxalism reduces, the few terrorists can be herded and punished though I don’t think that will be an issue if everything goes to plan…
Simple solution? I don’t think so but definitely a start can be made…who knows something simpler might just come up.
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