ROURKELA: The ‘bhumipujan’ ceremony of a coal mine at Jamkani village of Hemgir block in Sundargarh district was marked by protests as villagers affected by the Vedant Limited (VL) project opposed the company’s bid to start operations. Police had to resort to mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd comprising people opposing the project and the others supporting it.
According to sources, after the ceremony when staff of VL started digging work with earth moving vehicles on Saturday afternoon, villagers reached the spot and started agitating. Tension prevailed after supporters of the firm arrived in two transport vehicles from Jharsuguda and Sundargarh and started raising slogans in favour of the company, which led to stone hurling by both parties. Sources said police had to resort to mild baton charge.
However, Sundargarh ADM (Revenue) Abhimanyu Behera denied of any police action and said 17 platoon police have been deployed at the site as the villagers continue to hold peaceful stir. He also said that land acquisition for the mine was completed long back and the affected persons have received compensation. The company announced that disbursement of relief was in process. Behera added only a section of the villagers seeking more compensation are opposing the project.
A decade ago, land for the coal block spread over Jamkani, Girisuan, Mendra and Jharpalam villages was acquired for the Bhusan Power and Steel Ltd (BPSL) through IDCO. After the allotment was cancelled, VL in 2019 bagged the same coal block in auction.The protesting villagers said the land acquisition for BPSL was done based on the obsolete Land Acquisition Act, for which they were entitled to paltry compensation. Describing the land acquisition illegal they want fresh land acquisition under the Coal
Bearing Act.