Bargarh BJP MP Suresh Pujari on Monday demanded in Lok Sabha setting up of a Coal Tribunal or Coal Bearing Act Tribunal at Jharsuguda. With the permission of the Speaker of the House, he spoke in Odia.
Pujari said the country’s largest coalmines are in Jharsuguda district. Since 1980, coalmining is done in the district as per Acquisition Act and Coal Bearing Act. But the cases under Coal Bearing Act are now being decided at Dhenkanal, 300 km away from Jharsuguda.
Pujari questioned that when coalmining is done in his own district and people are displaced, why the related cases are decided 300 km away. If a tribunal is set up at Jharsuguda, the local District and Sessions Judge would be its Chairman after proper notification issued in this regard.
Sources said the Jharsuguda District Lawyers’ Association had given a memorandum to Pujari in July mentioning about the unnecessary expenditure incurred by the people by running to Dhenkanal to attend the court.
