Tension At Jamkhani Mines As Displaced People Clash With Police In Sundargarh
Tension At Jamkhani Mines As Displaced People Clash With Police In Sundargarh
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Bhubaneswar: A tense situation developed at the Jamkhani open-cast coal mines in the Hemgir block of Odisha's Sundargarh district as a result of hundreds of locals' violent demonstrations against the mining operations, which led to clashes with police.
According to the 2013 Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement (LARR) Act, they are requesting compensation.
In the 10-acre area of the mining block, following Bhoomi Pujan, two displaced women and other villagers reportedly broke through security to demand adequate compensation, proper rehabilitation, and employment for family members over the age of 18. The fight started when the 17 platoon force stationed there had to use baton charges to scatter the gathering. According to reports, two villagers were hurt in the brawl.
Notably, the villagers of Jamkhani, Giriseema, Jharpalam, and Mendra have been requesting relocation in accordance with the terms of the government's new rehabilitation and resettlement strategy. However, the administration has previously informed the landowners that this was not feasible because they had already received compensation under the previous regime.
Following Bhusan Steel and Power Ltd's (BSPL) 2006 acquisition of the displaced people's land, BSPL provided compensation for the land. Vedanta Group was then given ownership of Jamkhani, which has 114 million tonnes of mineral reserves, in November 2019, nearly six years after the Supreme Court revoked its grant.
The corporation also offered to pay Rs. 6 lakh per acre amid a delay in the start of mining, but sources said the locals have remained firm in their demand.
The surrounding people have claimed that because mining activities have stalled for more than 12 years, they have not only lost agricultural revenue as a result of the purchase of their lands, but they have also been unable to find any form of work. The four villages gave up as much as 847 hectares of land for this project.
They further claimed that since the land had not been used within five years, it should have been properly restored to its original owners. This would have resulted in better compensation and allowed for a fresh acquisition of the land under the 2013 LARR Act.
C S Raazen Ekka, a Rajgangpur MLA, arrived to the scene in the meantime and spoke with the protesters to assess the situation. According to the sources, the administration is also attempting to appease them by promising to meet their demands.
