To raise their voice against displacement of rural population in Tandwa, Chatra where National Thermal Power Corporation’s (NTPC) super thermal power station has been set up, the Raiyats (land owners) have begun a 100 Km long march from Tandwa to Ranchi and will reach Governor House on Thursday showing it as a mark of protest.
All these local people, who have been reluctant to vacate their plots in the absence of proper resettlement and rehabilitation measures, have been demanding proper reimbursements for their lands but despite several attempts, the villagers have not yet received any assurance from the authorities concerned. The village dwellers have started their march against the unruly steps of both Government and the corporation apathy on Tuesday from Tandwa. People apart from Tandwa, a small community development block in Chatra along with other people of adjoining small clusters who have been severely affected by the displacement have unanimously decided to go for fast unto death until their all 10 major demands are not fulfilled.
Few months back, Barkagaon MlA Nirmala Devi too had submitted a memorandum to CM Raghubar Das seeking intervention in the matter of land acquisition by NTPC and local officials, without handling over compensation to the project affected people but even after much hue and cry nothing much have been done on the matter so far. After waiting for long for the concerned authorities to take some feasible steps on matter, now these land owners have decided to fight for their rights by themselves and are reluctant to go against the authorities. Notably, women in large number are also supporting the movement. According to the members of the protest group, their fight with the authorities will continue until their demands are fulfilled, as it has been decided by the Government and the concerned company to fix the compensation price as earliest but even after vacating their land, none of them have received the reimbursement yet.
Few basic demands of the protesters include free electricity supply to the affected villages, establishment of school in the village, payment of `15 to 20 lakh to each family including a job in the thermal power plant, considering the genealogy factor while disseminating the compensation money, verification of land and others.