Farmers protest at SECL’s Gevra Coal Mine, demands Jobs and safety measures
Korba | Correspondent: Farmers displaced by the SECL's Gevra coal mine staged a massive protest on Monday, demanding alternative employment and a halt to heavy blasting. The protest, led by the Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha (Chhattisgarh Farmers' Association) and the Bhumi Visthapit Rozgar Ekta Sangh (Displaced Persons' Employment Unity Association), completely halted soil and coal mining operations at the mine. The protesters also stopped silo operations, disrupting rake loading activities.
Given the seriousness of the situation, a large number of police and CISF personnel were deployed to the site. Mining operations remained suspended for about five hours, putting pressure on the management.
Addressing the protesters, Prashant Jha, State Joint Secretary of the Kisan Sabha, said that while the villagers' entire land is acquired in the name of mine expansion, all affected families are not being provided with employment.
He alleged that jobs meant for the affected people are being given to outsiders, and there is widespread corruption involved. He added that the economic and social condition of the affected families has worsened rather than improved after displacement.
He said that small farmers have already been deprived of employment in the name of acquiring their two acres of land, and now irregularities are surfacing in the process of providing alternative employment. He further stated that the affected families are being continuously neglected in the name of development in Korba. Jha warned that if the management does not find a solution soon, the agitation will be intensified.
Deepak Sahu, District Secretary of the Kisan Sabha, leveled serious allegations against the outsourcing companies, stating that mine expansion is being carried out without prioritizing the affected people. He demanded that a safety zone be established before any expansion work begins.
Damodar Shyam, a leader of the Bhumi Visthapit Rozgar Ekta Sangh, said that the heavy blasting at the mine is causing cracks in the houses of the surrounding villages and creating an atmosphere of fear among the people. The dust and debris from the mine are increasing the risk of serious diseases, and household items are also being damaged. He said that the management is not taking the problems of the common people seriously. After the protest, which lasted for about five hours, the SECL Gevra management assured that the problems would be resolved within two days, after which the demonstration ended.
