This is an astonishing tale of the life spent by a group of miners who are engaged in a risky job to earn their living.
Our reporter Hemasiri Kularatne marking another milestone in his career as a journalist recently entered a mine which was 2000 feet deep to report on the happenings within a mine.
This is a graphite mine which is 150 years old and located within a beautiful valley 27 kilometres along the road running from Kurunegala to Matale. The journalist Hemasiri Kularatne decided to step into the mine in search of the real happenings within it. Graphite is one of the most significant resources among the country’s natural resources. Stepping into a graphite mine is as risky as venturing into the sea on a trawler for fishing. No one can determine as to when one would return. It is a most furious journey. But these miners venture into the mine in search of graphite without considering its ferociousness. The mine was under the Britons during the imperialist rule. The name has not changed. It is Kahatagaha, the oldest mine in Sri Lanka. Although there were hundreds of mines in the past, there is only the Kolongaha mine other than the Kahatagaha mine. The mine is more than 2000 feet deep. Following the modernization taking place in the world, this graphite mine has also been subject to modernization. Carbide lamps eliminate the darkness within the mine. With the modernization of the mine, electrified lifts have been installed. Air is injected into the mine through machines. Despite all these facilities, a fear grips a person who steps into the mine for the first time. There are no unnecessary talks between each other. No jokes are cracked. Duties commence once they come across a new graphite ore.
The task within the mine is uphill. Patience should be exercised, the workers should be protected. There are special features in the mine, to which attention has to be drawn to.
The graphite which is obtained in this manner is despatched to the surface. These are pounded and processed for export. There is a high demand for graphite in countries such as Japan, Britain, Germany, France, India and Australia. Despite the demand for graphite, measures were adopted at one time even to shut it down branding it as a loss making institution. The Kahatagaha mine which was to be shut down was revived by President Rajapaksa under the policy of not privatizing institutions, as enthroned in the Mahinda Chinthana. The new Governing Board commenced work. The loss-making institutions has now transformed into a viable venture. The incumbent Chairman of the Kahatagaha mine revealed of the measures that are in place to transform it into a profit making viable venture earning valuable foreign exchange to the country.
Journalist of the Family Channel always traverse on the journey in search of the truth. Our regional media crew is geared to file such reports to the country and the world.
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