American Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The Shankargarh block of Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh, India, is well known for its high quality silica sand, and large scale surface mining is being done here. Most of the mining workers belong to a forest-dwelling community- Kol. Although, their life was never easy, they were fulfilling their needs by selling forest produces. As forest was occupied by mines, Kols became unsheltered and resourceless. They started working as silica sand mining labours to earn their livelihood. These men are mostly underpaid, extremely poor and homeless. They are deprived by all basic amenities and services and are struggling for their survival by more than seventy years.