January, 2024 Newsletter: Sericulture and rich agricultural diversity to be destroyed by the NUPPL's proposed mining in Gopikandar, Dumka
Newsletter
January 2024
Justice in Mining Network
Bagaicha Social Centre, Ranchi
Pipri-Barwadih coal block mined by Triveni Sainik Private Limited
National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), a central government undertaking, is India's largest power utility. There are 16 coalblocks in the North Karanpura coalfield that is situated in parts of Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Chatra and Latehar. The Pipri-Barwadih coalblock (Hazaribagh) of the North Karanpura has the largest reserve of approximately 642 million tonnes. The NTPC has assigned the Papri-Barwadih coal block to Triveni Sainik Mining Limited in September, 2015 as the Mine Developer and Operator (MDO). Open cast mining has removed the top layer and caused ecological crisis, apart from the social crisis of unemployment and migration. Families from five villages of Badkagaon have been displaced. Urub, is one of the villages that is predominantly populated by Scheduled Castes. The Bhuinya of this Dalit community did not own any agricultural land but worked on the gair majrua (GM) land that is not legally registered to an individual's name. The displaced villagers of Urub are resettled in a new location (5km far from their original) along with the villagers of Itij, that is predominantly an Adivasi population. Resettlement houses were provided but the people refused to move to the houses because of its inferior quality. Instead, they themselves constructed the houses from the compensation money. Even this compensation was not full and correct. Upon resistance, the official said, "Jahan jana hai jao, hum dekh lenge" indicating that there is a deep nexus of all authorities from the bottom to top of the mining enterprises, politicians and bureaucracy. Lack of meaningful employment is a major issue that threatens the lives of the displaced Bhuinyas and Ganjor. Without land and cattle, the displaced communities have become hopeless migrant labourers. While mining is promoted as an employment generator for the local communities; the displaced families of Urub and Itij have not experienced much prospective employment opportunities even in the mines, except a few who had to bribe for the employment.
A house marked number 77 for accounting the displaced families in Gopikandar
"The days are not far when the children of future will only hear that there used to be a (Rajmahal) hill", sadly remarks Advocate Pankaj Kujur at the rampant pace of mining in the Santhal Pargana region. The three villages of Gopikandar marked for mining by the Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited (NUPPL) for the Pachwara South Opencast Mining Project. Of the total 715 hectares of proposed land to be acquired, 455 hectares are dense forest areas. Ninety-one percent of the affected villages of Chirudih, Mahaldabur and Kundapahari are Santhal Adivasi. In one of the hilly villages of Mahaldabar, the villages rely on rearing silk on the arjun trees in forests for their livelihood. Moreover, they grow several varieties of crops such as barbati, kudrum, arhar, makai, bajra and urad which are drought-resistant and highly nutritious food. These ecologically rich and indigenous-knowledge embedded villages of Gopikandar became proposed mine area by a mere drone survey for environmental assessment!
3. Displaced Santhals face Adivasi Identity crisis due to loss of land and Khatiyan due to the Masanjore Dam Project, Dumka.
Marynila Besra, a Santhal from Dumka, recounts that her maternal grandmother used to have immense jewelery before the displacement for the construction of the Masanjore dam that primarily provides irrigation and electricity to West Bengal. Forced displacements causes loss of not only land, houses and assets; but also socio-psychological losses of customs, memories, values and identities. This is exactly what has happened to the Adivasi of 144 villages of Masanpada. The displaced communities that have been resettled in a new location in Margabani have trouble availing government schemes as their identity cards were issued on their original village of Masanpada. This causes even graver challenge when attaining Scheduled Tribes certificates.
Workshop
With the objective of creating a platform for meaningful dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration among the stakeholders, a two-day workshop was organized. Activists, affected communities and researchers shared their experiences on different mining projects such as Saharrpur-Jamarpani (Dumka), Boarijore Coal Block, Hura-C (Godda), Jitpur Coal Block (Sundar Pahadi), Central Coalfield Limited in Charhi (Hazaribagh). Dr Mithilesh Dangi, founder-member of Azadi Bachao Andolan enlightened the participants through his study of the loot of minerals from the state and the people. Additionally, theater actor Pranab Mukherjee through his solo-performance highlighted the duty of theater and art to stand-up against injustice and attack on the freedoms. Democratic strategies such as RTI, strengthening gram sabha, media coverage, documenting and archiving emerged as few strategies towards social and ecological justice against mining.
Lecture
On the 121st birth anniversary of the Adivasi Leader, Jaipal Singh Munda; Dr Sandeep Bara delivers an insightful and inspiring lecture on the Adivasi question of identity, unity and leadership in the contemporary era. Citing the various examples from the life of JP Munda, Dr Bara reignites the Adivasi pride and resilience against the state and corporate oppression. He establishes the Munda, or dearly called Marang meaning The Leader as the 'Genius' who groundbreakingly paved path for the Adivasi in the Parliamentary Democracy.
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