Coal mining is no easy job. Both miners and the drivers who take them to work and bring them back have their own hardships to endure. Dust, mud, scorching summer heat and bitter winter cold… Yet when you think about how many homes stay warm and how many children live in comfort thanks to this work, even your fatigue begins to fade away.

I have been working in the Uzbekcoal JSC system since 2002. I started out as a mechanic, then operated a bulldozer. Today, I am a driver of a KamAZ shift bus at the Transport branch. I work at Bus Depot No. 3, headed by Dilmurod Karimov.

We transport miners to their workplaces and bring them back after their shifts. It may seem like an ordinary job, but anyone who has seen the mine roads and the clouds of dust knows just how demanding it can be.

Thankfully, things are going well for us now. Our wages are paid on time, and the spare parts needed for our vehicles and equipment are also supplied promptly. That alone means a great deal. If a vehicle breaks down and the necessary spare parts are unavailable, work comes to a halt and production targets remain unmet. Every worker has a family and children to support. That is why people should be fairly compensated for their labour.

There is something I often think about: if you do not support producers, you cannot expect good results from them. Coal mining requires machinery, fuel and spare parts. Most importantly, miners need to feel that their work is valued. When they do, they are motivated to work with even greater dedication.

That is why I was pleased to hear that market mechanisms are being introduced into the coal supply system under Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 418. Under the new arrangements, tenders should be open and transparent, making it clear who receives coal and how it is supplied. When fairness is ensured at every stage, from beginning to end, people can feel reassured and confident.

There were times when coal prices remained virtually unchanged for years. But how much have the prices of other fuels changed? Production costs have risen too. That is why the company needs to strengthen its financial position and develop its production capacity. When the company is financially sound, its employees benefit as well.

We have seen and heard about the various problems that used to arise when coal was being delivered to its destination. When coal extracted through so much hard work goes missing along the way, it is frustrating both for the miner and for the person waiting for fuel in a cold home. Some people had to go to considerable trouble to buy coal with their own money, and at times they were forced to search for it at inflated prices. It should not be this way!

Coal must reach the public on time and be distributed fairly among the households that need it. It would be a very positive development if the new arrangements helped reduce these problems. It is especially important that compensation payments intended to help people purchase coal genuinely reach families in need. This is a truly worthwhile initiative. Anyone who knows what it feels like to sit in a cold house in winter understands how much such assistance matters.

To me, coal is more than just a black rock. Behind it lies the hard work of many people — from miners and drivers to loading equipment operators and those responsible for delivering the product to consumers. The coal must be of good quality, delivered on time, and the customer must be satisfied. Only then can we say that our efforts have not been in vain.

I learned my trade from experienced mentors. When I was learning to operate a bulldozer, I gained a great deal of knowledge from the late Utkir aka. I also remember the lessons taught to me by the brothers Shahob and Mamatali Norkuziev. I still remember my mentors with great respect. They taught me not only the skills of the trade but also responsibility and honesty. Perhaps that is the greatest legacy a mentor can leave behind.

In the end, some people at the mine extract coal, others operate machinery, and still others transport it. But we all share one goal: to deliver an essential product to the people. If homes are warm in winter and schools and hospitals are not left in the cold, we will know that our work has made a real difference.

Above all, miners’ work must be valued, and the equipment must remain in good working order. If people are satisfied with the coal we deliver, that alone is a great source of happiness for us.

Do‘styor BOYMURODOV
Driver, Transport Branch, Uzbekcoal JSC