BHUBANESWAR: As the State’s demand for job and rehabilitation of families affected by coal mining projects remains unresolved, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday urged the Centre for denotification of acquired but unused land of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL).
In a letter to Union Minister for Coal Piyush Goel, the Chief Minister said 12,650 hectares of 23,300 hectares of land acquired by MCL, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL), in Angul and Jharsuguda districts for coal mining projects have remained unutilised for years.
Noting that the Central PSU has so far utilised 10,700 hectares, the Chief Minister said the coal company is planning to use another 3,400 hectares for mining in next five years.Of the balance area of 9,250 hectares, he said the MCL has no plan to utilise 3,60 hectares in next 10 years.
This has caused immense hardship for the people affected by land acquisition as they are unable to utilise the land or construct any permanent structures for their accommodation.Besides, they are deprived of all development schemes of the Government.
“In order to resolve the hardship faced by such land losers, it is suggested that land notified/acquired under Coal Bearing Areas (Acquisition and Development) Act, but not required for coal mining in next five years may be denotified,” the letter said.
The Chief Minister further requested the Coal Ministry to direct the MCL to pay compensation to the affected families for civil construction they have taken up till their rehabilitation and resettlement. The coal company should also take the responsibility of the local development works and provision of basic amenities for the people living in the area out of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund. Though more than 1000 land oustees are waiting for job and another 5000 people are in need of resettlement, the failure of MCL to fulfil the demands of the displaced families has been triggering public protests and economic blockade hampering production and despatch of coal from Talcher area. Highly placed sources in the Angul district administration said there are instances that land acquired for more than 25 years under coal bearing Act remained unutilised. As a result, people living in these areas are deprived of Government benefits and developmental works.