Private sector not to be allowed in sand mining

KOLLAM: Labour Minister Shibu Baby John has said that the UDF Government will not allow private sector in mineral sand mining.Addressing a 'meet the press' programme at the Press Club here on Friday, he said that the private sector would be allowed to function in the industries aimed at value added products. The private sector is free to start any industry in the state. But granting licence to exploit the mineral resources of the state could not be allowed.He said the smuggling of mineral sand from the coastal belt of Chavara had been rampant. To check this, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy will convene a high level meeting of police officers soon.The minister said he would not agree to the stand that there should not be trade unions in the IT sector. Even in European countries, workers are more united than in India. However, workers should understand that a strike is the last resort, he said.On the 'nokku kooli' practice in some parts of the state, he said it was a curse for the state and also an anti-worker practice. He pointed out the sharp decline in the number of railway porters as an example.When the rail porters increased their wages, passengers preferred to look for other options. Excessive hike in wages will only help to destroy any sector. He requested the workforce to abstain from wrong practices like 'nokku kooli'. Awareness should be made in the labour sector to make it free of such menaces, he said. The minister said that the exodus of migrant labourers had created a lot of problems in the state. Several diseases which were eradicated earlier have started to reappear in the state. Three cases of malaria were reported recently. Migrant labourers also make problems in the law and order situation. There are laws such as the Migrant Labour Act and Contract Workers Act to contain such issues. The government will strictly implement the laws to contain such issues, he said.The 100-day programme of the Labour Department will be announced on Monday. The minister also commended the contributions of his immediate predecessor P K Gurudasan to the labour sector.