History

Mine Labour Protection Campaign (or MLPC) came into existence in 1994, following deliberations on the mining situation in Rajasthan in a series of workshops and seminars attended by environmentalists, lawyers, and activities in Jodhpur. These meetings concluded the need for a counter voice on the mining situation as well as the necessity for a campaign to protect the rights of mine and quarry workers. The campaign was initially guided by a steering committee comprised of experts from various strata of civil society. Its patron began with Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer, a retired judge of the Supreme Court. In 1999, after 6 years of operation in the state, an independent review of the campaign strongly recommended to have an independent secretariat for MLPC to provide the campaign an autonomous entity and to enable an extensive participation of mineworkers.

On June 7, 2007, MLPC was registered as a not for profit organisation under the Rajasthan Public Trust Act of 1959 at Jodhpur. The organisation was reorganised as the MLPC Trust with the new slogan: "Regulating mining, empowering workers, developing cooperatives, and sustaining environment." The new board of MLPC Trust has 5 trustees and 15 executive members representing local Not for profit Organisations, environmentalists, minorities, Dalit rights struggle groups, the labour movement, and the mineworkers unions, cooperatives and Self Help Group's.

Today, MLPC works to empower mine workers in Rajasthan to fight injustice and inequality through the organization of groups such as Self Help Groups (SHGs), Unions and Cooperatives. MLPC’s goals and activities centres around community development, advocacy, income generation and policy level work.

Goals of MLPC

• Promoting responsible mining

• Economic, social and legal empowerment of individual mine workers (men and women)

• Encouraging sustainable mining to safeguard the environment

• Defining ethically mined stones and promote their use.

Aims

MLPC aims to promote environmental justice through organizing the unorganized mine workers and by building their capacities to protect their rights and environment.

Our Mandate

MLPC Trust strives to protect the interests and rights of mineworkers through meaningful dialogue between the mineworkers, mine owners and the state to provide mineworkers their basic rights - health care, occupational safety, and fair wages. The campaign believes in empowering the mineworkers and tries to identify local leaders to stand up for their own rights.