Chhattisgarh tribals on sit-in against mining project

RAIPUR: Thousands of tribal people from over a dozen villages in Dharamjaigarh region of Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district spent more than 24 hours on the road outside the collector's office, demanding cancellation of an upcoming public hearing for a proposed private coal mining project, reports Rashmi Drolia. Defying the evening chill, men, women, elderly people and even infants in the lap of their mothers slept under the open sky since Thursday night. The project in Purunga, acquired by Adani Group, has triggered protests to save "jal-jungle-jameen (water, jungle & land)". "Our forests, water sources, & land will be destroyed if mining starts," said a protester. No official will be allowed to enter village, say protesters Purunga villagers have accused the administration of ignoring repeated petitions to cancel the public hearing scheduled for Nov 11.

Villagers allege it is being pushed through without addressing environmental and livelihood concerns. "No administration official or anyone else will be allowed to enter Purunga village on the public hearing day, and if any unpleasant situation unfolds, we wouldn't be responsible," states a warning note left by the protesters late Friday evening after they could not meet officials. "This is the biggest tribal uprising since Independence in this region.

If the mine opens, our water sources will dry up, and our forests will vanish," said Chanesh Ram Rathiya, another protester. Raigarh collector Mayank Chaturvedi, however, justified the hearing, saying it aims to put all concerns on the table. "It is happening as per the instructions of the state environment board. It ensures all voices concerning environment, livelihood, etc can be put in a forum," Chaturvedi told TOI. Amid the unrest, security was tightened outside the collectorate with barricades, police deployment, fire brigade and ambulances. The Hasdeo-Raigarh forest belt, which faces mining pollution and human-elephant conflict, has become a new flashpoint between industrial expansion and tribal rights. TOI had on June 27 had reported on protest by villagers in Raigarh district over tree felling at Gare Palma II coal mine of Tamnar region.

Police force was deployed in the region and villagers chased away from the location.