RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh has witnessed a spate of mass agitations in recent months against coal and mineral mining projects, exposing a critical gap in the way mining blocks are auctioned and developed.
Protests have erupted against the Amera extension coal project of Coal India Ltd in Sarguja, the Purunga coal project and the Tamnar coal block in Raigarh, besides opposition to limestone projects of major cement and aluminium companies. Similar resistance has also been reported from other states.
Among the sequence of events, what increasingly becomes apparent is that after the coal and mineral blocks are successfully auctioned for commercial mining, there arises a critical gap—auction done without resolving statutory, land and social prerequisites. This disconnect purportedly unfolds as a single biggest reason behind excessive delays, growing social unrest around mining projects or even cancelled public hearings.
Development of coal and mineral blocks requires prior approvals and coordination with Gram Sabhas and panchayats, along with no-objection certificates from departments such as forests, railways, irrigation, revenue and mining. Corporate players argue that tender documents should ideally include khasra-wise land details, ownership records and maps clearly demarcating private, government and forest land.
“However, most of these responsibilities to accomplish are transferred to the successful bidder after the auction, despite the bidder having paid large upfront premiums and committed to long-term investments”, they narrated in unanimity and further claimed that such structural weakness leaves the investor exposed to local opposition, administrative delays, and political mobilisation for circumstances beyond their control.
Mining blocks are awarded on premium and the huge revenues generated through it are intended for local development.