Liberal mining permits and rapacious mining by the lessees hide a story of myopia, insensitivity, greed, and corruption.-Ashok Lavasa,s memories.
Gustakhi Maaf Haryana-Pawan Kumar Bansal
Ex Election Commissioner of India Ashok Lavasa,s article in Today’s The Tribune (Leading English daily of northern India )TO MINE AND NOT TO MIND.
The raging controversy over erasing the Aravalli range reminded me of an incident exemplifying the conflict between mining and saving the hills. Liberal mining permits and rapacious mining by the lessees hide a story of myopia, insensitivity, greed, and corruption. Government departments sometimes work at cross purposes; sometimes display an uncanny collusion.
As CEO, DRDA, Bhiwani in 1986-87, I oversaw the implementation of rural development programs like IRDP, and area development programs like Drought Prone Area Development Program (DPAP) and Desert Development Program (DDP). These programs were aimed at arresting the march of the Thar desert to the south-western part of Haryana through schemes of soil conservation and afforestation.
It was said that if the number of trees planted in Haryana under various programs were counted, no land would be left without tree cover in the state. Many local politicians often made caustic remarks against the program in public meetings.
That provoked me to inspect DDP/DPAP works in Tosham, the then chief minister’s constituency where soil conservation works and hill side plantation was undertaken to check soil erosion.
To my surprise, I found the soil conservation works and tree plantation satisfactory. I didn’t count the trees but they looked healthy with low mortality.
As I was returning with my confidence in the field staff restored and my cynicism abated, I saw some trucks winding their way from the hills. They were returning from the stone quarries leased by the government in parts of the same hills.
I found this odd. Government spending public money to stabilize the hills and arresting the desert and withal giving licenses to denude the hills. I thought it my duty as a public servant to raise the issue with the government and shot off a demi-official letter to the Director of Industries to cancel the lease forthwith.
Having wielded the ultimate weapon of the demi-official missile, I rested in peace. My routine work overtook my fleeting concern.
Fortunately, a paper in the government is immortal. Though generally unresponsive, bureaucracy is possessive about its papers, never letting a paper ‘die’.
Four years later that letter surfaced on my table.
I was appointed Director, Small, Village and Cottage Industries department in 1989 after the trifurcation of the Department of Industries. The other two departments were Department of Large/Medium Industries and Department of Mines & Geology. In 1990, after the incumbent was shifted, I was given additional charge of both these departments.
I was pleasantly surprised one day to see on my table, a file for the renewal of the mining lease of Tosham quarries. The noting referred to my demi-official letter regarding cancelling the lease. Upon receipt of my letter then a view had been taken to consider it at the time of renewal of the current lease.
Now was that time. I decided not to renew the lease.
A paper in the government has enormous power if handled by those who care, and not by those careful about pleasing vested interests.Tailpiece.Lavasa is our enlightened reader.