ROURKELA: The agitation by residents of Jamkani village in Hemgir village of Sundargarh district against coal mining in the area by Vedanta Limited continued on Sunday.The protest has not yet affected mining operations but police deployment was enhanced at the protest site to maintain law and order. The company started its operations on Saturday amid deployment of 17 platoons of police force even as the villagers who lost their land to the project opposed it.
The district administration also held two rounds of talks with the agitators on the day but the latter refused to relent and stuck to their demands which include enhanced compensation and jobs with Vedanta.Jamkani Coal Block Bisthapita Sangathan (JCBBS) leader Rajendra Naik said land acquisition for Jamkani mine done for Bhusan Power & Steel Ltd (BPSL) more than a decade back through IDCO was illegal and as per the old Land Acquisition Act of 1894 the affected families were given paltry compensation and deprived of R&R benefits.After BPSL did not start mining operations in the area, the coal block was allotted to Vedanta Limited.
“A proposal to enhance the compensation amount of Rs 50 lakh per acre to the affected people should be sent to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who we hope will ensure justice for the affected tribal families of the village,” he added. The agitators reiterated their demand of direct employment in Vedanta Limited to eligible claimants, implementation of R&R scheme and settlement of Forest Rights Act-2006 claims.
On the other hand, Sundargarh ADM (revenue) Abhimanyu Behera said the administration wishes to address the grievances of the agitators but mining operations would have to continue. He rejected the demand of ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh per acre and said Vedanta Limited has already offered an additional Rs 6 lakh to the land losers. The administration has also promised jobs to all eligible family members of the affected people aged 18 years in Vedanta’s Mine Development & Operation (MDO) partner BGR Mining & Infra Ltd. Around 284 new FRA claims, received few months back, would be settled as per norms.
The Sundargarh District Sarpanch Sangh has extended its support to the agitation. Sundargarh MLA Kusum Tete said she would visit the agitation site on Monday and hold talks with the administration to ensure immediate fulfilment of the genuine demands of the villagers.