Editor’s Note
This report details the illicit emerald trade operating between Jharkhand and Jaipur, alleging a lack of oversight and the involvement of armed groups. The claims are based on local sources and warrant serious investigation by the relevant authorities.
Precious emeralds worth crores of rupees are being illegally transported from mines in Jharkhand to the jewelry market in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Approximately 10 to 15 kilograms of emerald-laden stones are extracted daily here. There are no restrictions on this extraction. It is reported that previously, buyers from Jaipur used to come here; now, brokers are transporting the stones to Jaipur.
– The emerald extracted from Jharkhand’s mines is secretly reaching Jaipur’s gem markets.
– The Jharkhand government has no account of how much emerald is being illegally extracted from here.
– A nexus has formed between Naxalites, police, and traders in this area.
– Traders from outside do not go beyond Jamshedpur.
– Brokers and strongmen involved in illegal emerald mining and trade have divided the hills among themselves with the consent of the Naxalites.
– It is also decided which group will mine on which hill. People from the same group keep an eye on the laborers.
– Naxalites provide protection to these groups and laborers. They receive a share of the profits with full knowledge of the emerald and the income generated.
– Local police stations are also given their share at fixed intervals.
Gurabanda block is about 85 km from Jamshedpur, famous as Jharkhand’s ‘Kalapani’. There are two routes to reach here. One is Shyamsundarpur along National Highway 33. The other route is from Dumaria. The population is around five thousand. There are 45 hills in Gurabanda, including Pawari hill, Jharpokharia’s Pokhardiha near the Odisha border, Barunmuthi, and Kharkugoda, which hold vast reserves of emerald. The hills are 1000 to 1500 feet high. Laborers are transported here by bike and pickup vans.
Jaipur is the country’s largest center for the emerald trade, with an annual business of Rs 800 crore. 50,000 people are involved in cutting. 1000 companies are engaged in this work here. The majority of emeralds in Jaipur come from Zambia, Colombia, and Brazil. This includes the illegal emerald from Jamshedpur. Jaipur traders consider it minor, yet it generates an annual business of Rs 50 crore. People from Jharkhand bring emeralds to a hotel on Moti Dungri Road in Jaipur, where the bargaining takes place.
In Jaipur, only the unorganized sector is involved in such illegal trade. They source emeralds from mines near Jamshedpur or Pakistan. However, established industrialists with legitimate businesses stay away from it, but sometimes those from illegal mines in Jamshedpur come and sell such emeralds to anyone here.
– Many laborers engaged in emerald excavation for years have become connoisseurs.
– Upon seeing an emerald, they can tell its type and what its market price should be.
– Such expert laborers are paid separately.
– A game of deception is ongoing in this black trade.
– Sometimes brokers cheat traders, and sometimes traders buy high-quality emeralds cheaply and leave.
– In 2012, seven accused, including a Jaipur jeweler—Mohammad Mahboob, Sandeep Giri, Priya Gopal Giri, Sanjit alias Rajesh Rana, Prashant Giri, Patit Pawan Kapat, Mahboob Ali—were arrested.
– Emeralds worth Rs 25 lakh were recovered from them.
– Actually, stones from every place have a different nature. Traders call this ‘Jaat’ (type/lineage). Meaning, which type of stone is this.
– If stones coming illegally from Jamshedpur or elsewhere were to come legally, industrialists here could use their ‘Jaat’ as regular stones and start importing jewelry made from them.
– Marketing of this ‘Jaat’ of emerald could also be done. Whereas currently, incoming illegal emeralds cannot be included in this regular jewelry because there is no guarantee of a second supply of once-received illegal emeralds.
– The reality is also that a section is selling Jharkhand’s emerald by labeling it as Brazilian emerald.
– Three reporters from Dainik Bhaskar reached Gurabanda, risking their lives in this hilly and forested area. They stayed in the area for 10 hours.
– They investigated the ground reality of emerald mining and illegal trade.
– They observed that as morning breaks, hundreds of villagers climb the hills and engage in emerald excavation.
