Protest intensifies over coal mines allotment to Jindal Steel

The ongoing protest against allotment of coal mines to the Jindal Steel and Power Limited is Raigarh district today took another turn when villagers resorted to fast-unto-death with a vow that they would not hand over their land at "any cost".

The indefinite chakka jam of the villagers continued for the second day today as coal transportation to the company from the Tamnaar mines was severely affected. A senior company official, not willing to be named, said if the blockade continued for another couple of days, it would pose a problem to manage the affairs in the plant.

The Jindal Steel and Power Limited had been allotted new coal blocks in Ghara area of Tamnaar "" about 30 km from Raigarh, where the company had its steel facility and a captive power plant. The company had a few coal mines in the same area from where it was getting raw material for its captive power plant and one unit of the 1000 Mw power plant coming up in Tamnaar.

About five villages would be displaced in the new blocks that would be the major source of raw material for Jindal's 1000 Mw power plant project to be completed by September. A 250 Mw unit had already commissioned.

The people of five villages had launched vehement protest against the company and disrupted the public hearing held on Saturday, resulting in police lathicharge that injured 50 persons, including 15 policemen.

On Sunday, villagers resorted to indefinite chakka jam on Raigarh-Tumnaar road and blocked the coal transportation in the area. Besides Jindal, supply of coal to Monnet's steel plant in Raigarh had also come to a halt. Continuing with the blockade, villagers sat on fast-unto-death and observed Tamnaar bandh today.

"We don't want compensation and we won't allow Jindal to mine in the area," fumed Radheshyam Sharma, who is leading the fast-stir in Tamnaar. He said the administration accost to settle the matter would not bear any fruit as villagers were adamant not to give their land at "any cost".

The senior officials of the administration avoided visiting Tamnaar to initiate dialogue with the agitating villagers. "Since the villagers are charged following lathicharge incident and tension mounts in the area, the officials have preferred to stay back," a senior official said.