Most women have been victimised in the process of rapid industrilasation and mining activities in the Angul-Dhenkanal region, told Rajya Mahila Mancha convener Sashmita Behera.
She was speaking on the celebration of the International Women’s Day held here by the Citizen’s Action Forum.
Behera told that around 45,000 women have been victimised during assaults on local protesters against industrialisation by police and security personnel of various corporate houses in Angul and Dhenkanal districts in the last ten years.
Around 3,000 women are running from one court to the other, seeking bail, she said.
Economic and social conditions of the people have been greatly affected due to acquisition of about 36,000 acres of private, Government and forest land in last 10 years for industrialisation and mining activities in the two districts while the woman constitute a major chunk of the affected population and are yet to get justice, said social activist Sukhada Mohapatra.
She said there has been a series of attacks on unarmed peaceful protesters against forcible land grab.
Social activist Droupadi Sahu said the rich coal blocks of Angul have been illegally allocated to many private companies overlooking the interest of the locals. She demanded de-allocation of all coalmines of Chhendipada, implementation of a new land acquisition law, withdrawal of all false cases against activists and locals and permanent employment to the land oustees.
It was decided that the Citizens’ Action Forum and JANMAT would conduct social auditing and subsequent popular voting on CSR activities of the companies with a view to ensure women empowerment.