India cautioned of plundering with natural resources

PTI, PANAJI | 18 November 2011 23:25 IST

Likening India's export of raw material to China and import of finished goods in return, to the Colonial trade of the East India Company, a senior official of the Union Steel Ministry today expressed caution over the "plundering of natural resources" from the country.

Deputy Chief Economist of the Union Steel Ministry Dr Susmita Dasgupta was speaking during a session on the last day of the 'International Iron Ore and Steel Making Raw Materials' conference.

"Coal and iron ore would soon be major issues determining the national politics. We must remember that natural resources are a very finite matter. If we are surrendering our natural resources for the manufactured goods from another country, it is a colonial pattern of trade," she said.

"Exporting raw material to China and importing finished good from them is similar to the Colonial trade, which India had faced during the East India Company regime" the official said.

She said that on the lines of USA and Australia, India should also have a comprehensive policy document on mining, to ensure that interests of those, other than the mine-owners, are not harmed in anyway.

"In the US, mining laws are very strong. Consumers can take miners to court if their interests are jeopardised. India is not operating out on a long term plan or vision, with respect to its natural resources," Dasgupta added.

The two-day long conference had representatives from India, China and Indonesia, deliberating on the future of iron ore industry, considering the current crisis in the sector. 


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It is sad to note that many a well-intentioned, apparently educated, person loses sight of what life is truly about and concentrates on just one aspect - money, as in economy.

Why are people so un-conscious, or geniuses of an unintelligent kind, as to believe that having money is everything?

When will we realise that once the ecology, as in nature, is destroyed, that money can not be eaten? Do we not realise that today, the real powers are those who can grow natural food and have good systems for water management? And that, biodiversity is the key to true wealth? It is those few countries like USA [who have the seed banks], Israel, Spain, who will survive in times of scarcity of food, not those who destroy their nature for the sake of money.

EDUCATION is what is important, but not of the kind that gives one a job, or a better job, but of the kind that helps a person to develop values that can benefit humanity. FULFILMENT for a HUMAN BEING is in BEING HUMAN! That is the first step - being human - not only to other humans from a specific clan determined by certain parameters like relationship, class, creed, colour, race, sex, whatever, but being human to all that is...to LIFE; to NATURE. Even an insignificant butterfly can be the cause of a storm, so why can human beings not start change and stop mining for the little change and petty cash they get from China? Are there no alternate means or sources of income?

It is still not too late to reverse the trend of destruction...if we wait too long, many a paradise [Eg. Goa] will end up as a desert, and the rivers destroyed.

Listen to the voices of the apparently ignorant villagers, who have respected tradition and followed the advice and teachings of their ancestors. STOP MINING; illegal or otherwise. Think first. Check out the consequences. Then draw out a plan to stop raping Mother Earth, or, Father Sun might get angry with us, their children and scorch us. In fact at the pace we are going, they do not have to do anything at all; they just have to wait and see sadly how the children destroy themselves.

What a pity...Adam and Eve having eaten of the apple called money are back on the way to send themselves out of paradise into a barren desert!

- milton, Germany | 05 th March 2012 03:38

 

Nationalize Iron Ore Mines throught India, just like the Banks were Nationalized, the Country will be more secure having its natural resources preserved for the future rather than allow a few individuals with help of the Courrept Ministers and other Government Officals loot and stash the proceeds in Foriegn Banks further cheating this Country.

- Savio, Goa Mapusa | 19 th November 2011 23:13

 

In the same breath, she mentioned that India is following the same pattern as US by investing in resources and mines abroad. India also purchases almost all its crude oil from abroad besides most of its coking coal for steel making. Does that mean that India is also trying to colonise other nations? If India bans export of its resources, so will other countries. In this India will be the biggest loser, as being home to 17% of the world's population and being set to grow rapidly, it will be more and more dependent on resources from other countries in future. While living in a global world, we cannot think in isolation as far as export of iron ore is concerned while importing other resources; this will simply not work as other countries would put similar curbs.

Therefore irrespective of the views of Ms Sushmita Sengupta, market forces should determine trade flows. No one stops India from also exporting finished goods besides iron ore. As long as domestic steel mills pay higher prices, the ore will definitely remain in the country.

Dr. Sushmita also had grouses with the working concept of the WTO, which India and most nations are already part of in the greater good of being part of the global market.

She also felt discriminated as far as salaries for women go and made a caustic comment that being a woman working in a PSU she was discriminated against by her promotions being blocked.

In general, the views expressed were her own personal views.

- Deepak, India | 19 th November 2011 18:30

 

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