• Coal Cycle Wallahs
    Wobbling and pushing their bikes laden high with stolen coal, the Coal Cycle Wallahs slowly make their way through rural Jharkhand’s steep and
twisting forest roads.
    Home to the largest coal belt in Asia, Jharkhand is one of India’s poorest sta...

Coal Cycle Wallah, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

"I’ve been doing this work for 15 years. I’ve travelled since 2am this morning with this coal so far. I collected it at Sakulbarwatola mine which is about 55 kms away. I’m heading to Ranchi to sell the coal and the journey should take 2 days in total. I need the money, the work is ok, what else can I do? Physically I dont feel good, it’s hard work, but I have no choice. I will sell this full load for about 400Rs".

Bulesher Mashto, 34 & Sitaram Mashto, 35, Coal Cycle Wallahs, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

"We travel together because it’s safer and we can help each other on the steeper parts of the roads. We’re going to Ranchi, we’ve been travelling since yesterday and we’ll reach there this evening. We’ve been doing this work for 2 years, there is no work in the mines or on the land. There’s no labour that’s why we do this. We have to."

Coal Cycle Wallahs
Wobbling and pushing their bikes laden high with stolen coal, the Coal Cycle Wallahs slowly make their way through rural Jharkhand’s steep and
twisting forest roads.
Home to the largest coal belt in Asia, Jharkhand is one of India’s poorest states, and has been plagued by poverty, lawlessness, bad governance and corruption for over half a century. It is also, however, home to the vast majority of the county’s rich mineral deposits.
India’s Government owns everything underground and all coal mines are State controlled. The Coal Cycle Wallahs are unlikely to ever benefit from India’s economic growth. They scrape by a living, collecting this ‘black gold’ under the ever watchful eyes of east India’s Coal Mafia whilst corrupt
officials pocket the rewards.
As India’s economy grows and it plays host to the the 2010 Commonwealth Games, all eyes will be on Delhi. Many green pledges have been made regarding air quality and green energy. Yet as India is poised to become the third largest economy in the world within the next 25 years, its continued reliance on coal as a cheap, readily available and yet highly polluting fossil fuel is fast increasing. Coal is the dirtiest fuel on the planet and India is estimated to become the world’s third highest CO2 producer by 2030.
The Coal Cycle Wallahs and the work they do are a stark illustration of poverty in the midst of rich fossil fuel resource abundance.

Charka Munda, 30, Coal Cycle Wallah, Ranchi, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

Coal Cycle Wallahs rest by the side of the road, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

Sirka Mine, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

Raj Kumar, 35 and his son Suresh,10, Sirka, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

Flowers and coal dust at Pithauria coal mine, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

Siwanth Mahto, 35, Coal Cycle Wallah, Ramgarh, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

"We used to work in Delhi, doing welding and manual labour, but there’s no work. Most of the older men who do this job now used to work in Delhi 10 years ago."

Coal Cycle Wallahs rest by the side of the road, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

Pitauria, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

Jharkhand paddy fields at dusk, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

Mukhtar Ansari, 35 & Chandra Munda, 30, Coal Cycle Wallahs, Pithauria, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

Rahul Munda, 30 & Siwanth Mahto, 35, Coal Cycle Wallahs, Ramgarh, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

"We have come from Chaingada in Jharkhand with this coal, our native place is Somdah. We travel together sometimes because it’s safer and easier that way. The journey will take us 2 days and we started at 2am this morning. I dont like doing this work, but what else is there? It’s very difficult physically. I will get 400-500Rs when I sell this."

Amit, 20 & Pintu, 17, Coal Cycle Wallahs, Pithauria, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

"We’re from Bhurkunda, a village near here. We travel together and get our coal from Pithauria, then we walk to Ranchi and sell the coal. There is no other work for us here, it’s hard work but we’re young and we can do it."

The "puller", Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

The "puller", who attaches a rope to his motorbike and charges the coal cycle wallahs to pull them up the steeper sections of road.

Waiting for the "puller", Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

Waiting for the "puller", on steeper sections of road.

Ramesh Ansari, 40, Coal Cycle Wallah, Ranchi, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

"I travel from the Pithauria mine with coal, we collect it from the lorries at the edge of the mines. I've never been stopped by anyone from the mines. This work is tough, I do it because there is no other work. It’s tiring, I will reach Ranchi this afternoon where I’ll rest for 2 days then go back to Pithauria."

Tetra Orawon, 45, Coal Cycle Wallah, Kusiarabasti, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

Fagula Hora, 35, Coal Cycle Wallah, Pithauria, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

"I’m from Katanguri, near Ranchi, I come from there with the coal and then I sell it. I fill this bike and travel for 2 days to Ranchi and sell it there. I’ve been doing this for 18 years, I make good money carrying this coal, my livlihood is good. I like doing this because I make money for myself, I have no boss. I will sell this load for about 600Rs. I’m strong in my body so I can do this work, for the older men it gets more difficult."

Coal Cycle Wallah, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

A road on fire near the Sirka Mine, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

A road on fire near the Sirka Mine, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

A road on fire near the Sirka Mine, Jharkhand, North East India, 2009

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