RAIPUR: Ahead of the auctioning of coal blocks for commercial mining scheduled on Thursday, the sarpanchs of nine gram sabha have written to PM Narendra Modi urging him to stop commercial mining auction of coal blocks at Hasdeo Arand in Chhattisgarh.
The sarpanchs stated that as many as 20 gram sabhas (village councils) of the region have been unanimously passing their resolutions against the mining and auction or allotment of coal blocks for the past five years.
The Coal Ministry has announced the auction of coal mines for commercial mining on June 18.
While asserting that the areas were earlier proclaimed as ‘No-Go area in 2010, the sarpanchs demanded that it must to be conserved.
The erstwhile UPA government had declared the area off-limits for coal mining to protect an elephant corridor, besides the habitat of other endangered wildlife species, passing through three districts of Korba, Sarguja and Raigarh.
The sarpanchs expressed disappointment inspite of threat to the livelihood, culture of the adivasis, as many as six coal blocks in Hasdeo-Arand was put up in the list for auctions.
Aatmanirbharta model already here: Sarpanchs
While the PM is talking about “aatmnirbharta” (self-sufficiency), the sarpanchs wrote, these auctions will be an attack on the livelihood, lifestyle and culture of the adivasis and forest communities. The gram sabhas have already set up a model of “aatmnirbhar” through local self-governance under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act and Forest Rights Act, they contended.