The private companies are terrorising the rightful owners of the land to grab coal mines in Angul district and hence, the time has come for people to stay united against the Corporate Raj, said geologist and Mines, Minerals & People chairman R Sreedhar.
Mines, Minerals & People is a growing alliance of individuals, institutions and communities who are concerned and affected by mining.The isolated struggles of different groups have led to form into broad a national alliance for combating the destructive nature of mining.Participating in the ‘ Second National Coal Gathering’ at Santarabandha of Chhendipada block in Angul, Sreedhar said the social and political implications of mining are far reaching as mineral wealth lies in the most forested regions which are homelands of Dalits and indigenous tribals.
“Mineral extraction today is dictated by the market forces and cartels controlling the price according to the profitability, rather than for the benefit of society or a community. Thus a good number of minerals go to the industry sector, or to enhance the powers of the powerful through strategic control. Besides, the natural resources of the poorer countries are being over used with rampant environmental destruction, while the same resources of the rich countries are being safely preserved for their future generations. We should gear up towards a national policy of what has to be mined and what should not from the interest of the people,” he said.
He further explained, “The fight against mining industry is a fight for people’s control over natural resources. It is a fight by people against the appropriation of water, land and natural resources for private profits.”Addressing the delegates of the mines affected States and local people at the meeting, veteran activist of Raigarh, A Tripathy told that not the companies but the land owners should decide about the mining and community should decide about its development.
Tripathy told that the mining industry’s growth is inextricably linked to environmental and human right violations. Several million adivasis and Dalits have already been evicted to accommodate mines and related industries, and several more have been impacted due to land degradation and environmental imbalances caused by mining. Mining operations have vastly and disproportionately increased the hardships borne by women — be it in their role as the caretaker of food, water and health of the family or in their roles as wage earners, he said and called upon the affected people to oppose the Utkal B1 coal block.
It may be noted here that Citizens Action Forum, a local outfit, in a petition to the Union Government had demanded immediate de-allocation of Utkal B -1 coal block, which will consume a total of 270 hectares (ha) of land, out of which 173.64 ha are agricultural, 24.23 ha are forest land and 35.08 ha are grazing land of Raijharan, Kausidhipa, and Golagadia villages of Chhendipada block. Tripathy extended his wholehearted support to the effort of the outfit against Utkal B -1 coal block.
More than 100 grassroots groups, about 20 diverse support organisations across 16 States had gathered. Among others, social activists Yousuf Khan, Ashoka Srimallik, Ranjeet Pattnaik, Basanta Pradhan and Smita Pattanaik joined.