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By Shirajiv Sirimane

The gem industry is up in arms against a National Gem and Jewellery Authority directive to mechanise the industry. This follows a decision by the Authority to allow machinery such as Backhoes to be utilised for the industry.

A similar proposal was forwarded to the Authority last year and due to pressure from various sections it was not approved.

A member of the Blue Sapphire Association, Sunil Illeperuma said that this decision will have severe adverse effects on the industry. "First it will eat into the employment opportunities that the trade will offer. At present, there are about half a million families depending on this industry. There are about 50 employees for each gem pit and if machinery is introduced only about five persons will be employed," he said. "This will have adverse effects on the traditional industry which had been in existence for centuries."

He said that employees earn their day to day living by taking a weekly income and when gems are found in these pits the workers also get a negligible share by way of a bonus in most instances. "Almost 90% of the employees in the trade are Samurdhi recipients or people who live on welfare money and 65% of the population in Ratnapura are involved in this industry."

Illeperuma said that a traditional gem pit takes a maximum of 15 square feet and when machinery is used nearly 5000 square feet has to utilised. "This would create a major environmental problem." He said that when machines are used there is a great possibility of rivers, reservoirs and paddy fields being filled with mud and river banks being washed away. "One cannot also forget the animals and birds that will be affected due to the introduction of machinery."

He said that many years ago Thailand and Brazil had allowed machinery to be used and today there are hardly any gems found in those countries. "When human labour is utilised there is a section of gems that remains in the pit.

These grow again and in several years they turn out to be gems. But when machinery is used all forms of gems are extracted leaving nothing for the future."

Former board member of the then Gem Corporation M.N.S. Ismail said that the present Chairman of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority, P. G. Dharmaratne had written an article three years ago to the 'Sri Lanka Geuda' magazine stating the adverse effects the machinery would have on gem mining and the environment. "The heavy machinery was controlled in the gem mining industry to create job opportunities for people who live in those areas. Even though modern machinery can be used when it was difficult with manpower, the introduction of machinery had to be controlled because taking environment problems into account," was an extract from this magazine.

When contacted Director, National Gem and Jewellery Authority, T. Piyadasa, said that Board approval had been given to use light machinery for mining one month ago. "But the Corporation's representatives will be monitoring each site and the applicants will have to cover the pit in its original condition according to environmental authority regulations. If this is not done we will not issue them permits again."

He said that the decision to allow light machinery for the gem industry was taken since there were some areas where humans could not go.

"The National Gem and Jewellery Authority has also decided not to issue permits for machinery to be used in city limits such as Ratnapura." He said that the maximum area allowed for mining from machinery would be 5000 square feet.

The Authority will not issue licences for foreigners and not allow mining in Yala, he said.

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