Indian Rare Earths sand movement in trouble

KOLLAM: The movement of black sand from the mining site owned by the Indian Rare Earths Ltd here has run into trouble as the employees prevented attempts by the company to transport sand with police support. 

Meanwhile, the promises on land acquisition put forward by the company and the government still have not been implemented  pushing some 1,200 families into dire straits.

The company has not decided  on the regularisation of nearly  250  employees working since 1993, who remain jobless for the last one year. 

The employees earlier had held talks with the company authorities and an agreement was reached on the regularisation  in the  245 reported vacancies.

The company had procured documents from the residents of 83 acres proposed for developing into a mining site three years back, but  no compensation was given yet. After mining, the land would be given back to the families by filling it up.

The company has suggested a price of  RS 55,000 per cent.  The buildings and trees will be given as per the estimate  by the public works department.

The company had stopped mining operations at Vellanathuruthu in June 2014 and has not resumed it yet. As per the contract, the IRE is liable to provide half of the basic salary, dearness allowance and other allowances if mining gets interrupted by reasons other than those caused by the employees.

However, the company issued a notice to the employees stating that it had decided to stop mining at the site. As per the contract, the company was liable to  provide 245 working days a year.