RAIPUR: Local tribal villagers led by the regional political outfit Gondwana Gantantra party (GGP) blocked the transportation of coal via road-rail route at Ambikapur, 330 km north of Raipur, while registering their symbolic protest against two companies, alleging 'the promised commitments were not being fulfilled'.
Besides obstructing the movement of coal supplies on the road, the protestors also placed rocks on railway tracks to block transportation.
Police and administrative officials were deployed during the protest rally and demonstration.
“We registered a strong protest with our symbolic demonstration against the administration, besides the arbitrary stance of the group management for unfulfilled promises after the launch of the project. The transportation of coal, either by road or railway, came to a standstill with our protest.
“The promises like employment for locals, regional development, CSR-related works, 100-bedded hospital among others proclaimed during the public hearing organised ahead of the execution of the project here, are yet to be attained in the affected villages,” claimed Jagannath Singh Keram, GGP national spokesperson, who also alleged that major works of the project are allotted to outsiders and local inhabitants remain ignored.
Ambikapur collector Vilas Sandipan Bhoskar confirmed to TNIE that he had received a six-page GGP memorandum highlighting various grievances and elucidating the local people's demands, but he didn't reveal the district administration's next course of action.
Ban Singh Netam, sub-divisional magistrate of Udaipur block, where the coal block has been allocated, said that the protest was organised peacefully and no nuisance was reported.