In an unprecedented show of support, over 1500 volunteers in 133 cities across the globe turned Van Satyagrahis on Sunday as they raised a banner to save forests of Mahan in Singrauli district in the state. This was a sincere effort to draw the attention of the new Indian government towards saving Mahan forests - where villagers have started an indefinite Van Satyagraha to save their forests from Essar and Hindalco's proposed coal mine.
The volunteers' satyagraha was a part of the solidarity events organised by Greenpeace India in 117 cities in India and 16 abroad. Besides the major cities in India from almost all the states, and far-flung places like Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir, Imphal in the north-east and Tirunelveli in south, enthusiastic volunteers from various cities in the USA, Greece, Czech Republic, Thailand, Philippines, Tunisia, Yemen, Slovakia and Nepal also took part in the global event.
Volunteers staged photographs with messages like 'iamMahan' and 'StandForForests' along with placards reading the name of their cities. "I might live miles away from Mahan but I can feel the pain of the people there. They stand to lose everything to line up the pockets of a few billionaire corporations. Youngsters like us should stand together and join their fight to save Mahan," said Iftikaar from a remote corner of India in leh.
"The solidarity events in 133 cities tell Essar and the new government that the people of India want to preserve their forests and want justice for the thousands of people, who will be affected if the forests in Mahan are destroyed. Greenpeace India is humbled by this tremendous show of solidarity from across the globe," says said Samit Aich, executive director, Greenpeace India.
last week, 150 community members, led by women, peacefully confronted Essar officials and police for carrying out ground work for the proposed coal mine, following which four activists were arrested and one assaulted in police custody. These activists were engaged in the Van Satyagraha, which has been intensifying ever since its launch in February this year.
Three out of four activists have been granted bail so far. Greenpeace and Mahan Sangharsh Samiti (MSS) have approached the high court in Jabalpur for the release of the fourth activist, Bechanlal Shah -member of MSS and resident of Amelia village. Essar's officials in Mahan have been threatening the villagers, who have been exposing the wrongdoings of the company, it is alleged.