Mine workers' safety has moved beyond fulminations of activists and official confabulations. To corporate circles, it seems, going by an ad issued by Simplex, an engineering products company located in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. "How long coal miners will work manually?" the ad asks.
It's easy to mistake this poster-sized ad for standard campaign material. It contains a list detailing horrors of manual drilling, and in lingo resonates with activists' demands for mine workers welfare. There is also a call to ban drilling in underground mines.
But this is no mine-safety spiel. As we read on, it transpires that improvement of the miners' lot is contingent on use of Simplex drilling machines. Buyers are assured a payback period of six months. Undiluted altruism, or cashing in on misery? Take your call.
We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. This will mean a lot for our ability to bring you news, perspectives and analysis from the ground so that we can make change together.
.png)
Comments are moderated and will be published only after the site moderator’s approval. Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name. Selected comments may also be used in the ‘Letters’ section of the Down To Earth print edition.