With more than 100 salt mines in Tharparkar, workers suffer from serious financial and health problems due to alleged exploitation by salt lake owners and violation of labour laws. This is growing concern not only for salt-mine workers but also for human rights defenders and the locals.

“Salt lakes develop naturally. Rainwater that stays on the surface produces salt, however the government claims to own all kinds of minerals present under or above the soil, even though the land could belong to anyone,” says Hamzo, a labourer at Tepari Salt Lake, in agreement with other workers.

Even though priority for leasing is given to the locals, they are unable to invest because of poverty. Hence, outsiders are granted leases and hire local labour to work in the harsh environment. In this situation, labour laws are completely ignored. “The lessee is supposed to follow rules and regulations but in reality, they don’t,” says Hamzo.

Use of machinery and labour law violations add to the hardship of drought-stricken Tharis

In Sindh, there are salt lakes and mines in Sanghar and Umerkot districts, while the largest salt mine is in Khewra, Punjab. According to Naimatullah Brohi, deputy director of the mines and minerals department at Mithi, there are more than 100 salt mines in Tharparkar district. Although the salt lakes in Tharparkar and Sanghar districts are centuries old, extraction from these began only 20 years ago.

“The Tepari Salt Lake daily produces eight to 10 big trolleys of salt which is around 80 tonnes,” adds Hamzo. “These salt lakes are important for the economy of the area, as there is no other industry or source of income in Thar except breeding of livestock.”

“Salt lakes are the only mineral resource in Tharparkar providing daily wages to locals in Taluka Diplo, Mithi and Nagarparkar,” said Krishan Sharma, executive director of the District Development Association Tharparkar, an NGO working on human rights in the desert and providing expertise on labour issues.

“There are no educational or health facilities; not even first aid is available. There are no labour laws to ensure social security for them like a workers’ fund, Employees Old Age Benefits Institution [EOBI] or insurance for labourer’s families,” he added.

According to Sharma, Hub Salt and other industries must plan livelihood opportunities and social security in these areas under the Mines Act 1923, The Sindh Mining Concession Rules, 2002, the corporate social responsibility policy and other concerned laws. Safety measures must be ensured along with the provision of first aid on site for workers. “They should be registered in EOBI and workers board, and based on their skills, a contract should be drawn between lease owners and labourers to give them fixed wages as per the law.”

Khan Muhammad Samoon, a 55-year-old Thari and a father of six daughters, stood barefoot, breathing heavily after a digging bout. “I have been working at the Tepari Salt Lake, 15 days a month for seven years. I am not provided with a safety kit which should include goggles, gloves and shoes; nor do we get health facilities or even first aid,” he said, shaking his head in disappointment. “Does anyone care about the dangerous environment we work in? I am too old for this work but have no option as I have to feed my family. Three years of consecutive drought has ruined agriculture, our other source of income, making us poorer than ever.”

Abdul Majeed Samoon, 18, a resident of Chhachhi Samaa village has also been working at Tepari Salt Lake since the last five years. He started when he was 13. “Earlier, we were paid Rs3 for digging, filling and loading a single salt bag which has now increased to Rs8 per bag. A group of four labourers are required to dig, fill and load 200 bags in a trolley. It is a five-hour process for which we are paid Rs1,200. In a day, almost 400 bags get loaded in two trolleys,” he said. Different batches of workers are employed so no one can work daily and hence a worker cannot earn more than Rs6,000 to Rs8,000 per month.

Muhammad Hanif, a resident of a nearby village works at Al-Amin Salt Lake. “Where should we go as the fourth consecutive drought threatens Thar and our only source of income is working in these salt lakes? We earn a little bit to survive but now with machinery replacing us, so many of us are already unemployed,” he said.

Several other labourers voiced the same concerns. “We demand safety, while machines are faster and only require maintenance so people are losing their jobs,” said Mithu Udhejo, a resident of Jhabba village, who works as transport in charge. He earns Rs40,000 per month and is on good terms with the landowners. “If there were no salt factories, there would be no source of income for Tharis. The Tepari Salt Lake is spread over 2,700 acres where 250 labourers and 200 other employees work, but most of the work is now being done through machinery,” he added.

According to Udhejo, eight to 10 big trolleys carrying 80 tonnes of refined salt is transported daily to Karachi. “Labourers earn Rs2,000 to Rs3,000 per day. A number of employees are paid salaries for sitting idle at home; just to please the notables of the area who patronise them,” he said.

Moula Bux Kapri of Chhachhi Dars explained the situation, “Local employment laws are ignored by salt mine owners and the government turns a blind eye to this matter. The contractors have also chopped off trees near the salt lakes. Salt mines are leased out to influential outsiders instead of the locals. I paid fees for leasing one salt lake in my name, but it was given to a Karachi-based trader without any justification,” he said showing slips of paid fees and applications that he submitted to them.

Sawan Dars from the same village says, “The deputy superintendent and lower rank personnel of the border force are deployed at Al-Amin and Hub Salts. If a worker raises his voice against injustice, he is handed over to them.”

Several people from the village narrated stories of men and women being tortured by the border force, for resistance to the passage of heavy containers through their villages, which destroy their land, roads and underground water.

On the other hand, an official of the border force denied torturing people and insisted that they were called to provide safety to salt lake administration.

On condition of anonymity, an ex-employee said, “After my graduation, I visited Hub Salts at Tepari site in search of a job. It was suggested that I move to the city as they only hire illiterate people from villages close to the salt lake. Later he was appointed there on orders from an influential landlord for Rs5,000 per month for day and night work. “But on pay day, the accountant told me that he has no cash to pay me. Later, I got my salary after the intervention of a local feudal lord,” he stated and pointed out how they prefer to hire illiterates as they are not likely to demand their rights.

But Sarmad Habib, inspector of mines and minerals development department, government of Sindh stationed at Mithi town gives the story a different twist. “I often visit the salt sites and all lease owners follow rules and regulations so there are no issues regarding safety.” He also added that all the labourers were earning enough to live a happy life.

The writer is Dawn’s Umerkot district correspondent

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, March 13th, 2016