Tribals in Chhattisgarh oppose Narendra Modi government’s coal ordinance

NEW DELHI: After vociferous protests from workers’ unions, Narendra Modi government’s coal ordinance is drawing flak from adivasi villagers of north Chhattisgarh as 20 gram sabhas from three districts of the state have passed resolutions against resumption of mining in 16 coal blocks spread over 2,000 sq km of dense forests which were part of the previous UPA government’s ‘no go’ areas.

The opposition could be debilitating for the Centre’s move because the consent of the gram sabhas is mandatory for mining activity in Schedule 5 areas, where both the Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996, and Forest Rights Act, 2006, are applicable. Vedanta Group’s proposed project in Odisha, where gram sabhas in tribal areas voted out the mining project, is a case in point.

A delegation comprising three villagers from each of the three districts, along with Alok Shukla, convener of the Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, visited environment minister Prakash Javadekar and tribal minister Jual Oram recently to raise this issue.

The members of the delegation told ET the ordinance had assumed consent for mining from local residents in what are traditional ecosystems essential for survival of indigenous communities.

“They permitted opening up of the blocks through the ordinance before taking our consent. It is a new provision to pressurise us into giving away our land and we are opposed to this,” said Jaynandan Singh Porte of Ghatbarra village in Surguja district.

Kanhai Patel of Sarasmal village in Raigarh said ongoing mining in some parts of the forests was begun after flouting due process. “Mining is being carried out with complete disregard to all due processes and norms. The consent process was severely compromised; the mining is being carried out even within 10 metres from our homes. It damages our houses, and causes serious air and water pollution,” said Patel.