In a significant development, the contentious Gare Pelma Sector-I coal mining project in Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district has been put on hold. This decision comes after sustained and intense protests by local villagers, culminating in a violent clash with police.
Administration and Company Back Down
The district administration of Raigarh and the project developer, Jindal Power Limited (JPL), have both taken steps to suspend the controversial open-cast coal mine project. The move follows a violent incident on December 27 in Libra village, where police personnel were attacked and vehicles were set on fire, causing heavy losses to the company and injuring several.
Earlier, on Sunday, Raigarh District Collector Mayank Chaturvedi wrote to the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB). He cited the volatile law and order situation and the continuous demand from villagers to cancel a crucial public hearing held on December 8. He requested that no further proceedings be initiated on that hearing for now.
Jindal Power Withdraws Application
In a responsive move on Monday, JPL formally informed the collector that it was withdrawing its application for the public hearing. In its letter, the company acknowledged the protest by villagers from 14 affected villages, which began on December 12. It also referenced the December 27 violence, describing it as a "life-threatening attack" on police and company staff.
The company stated, "Respecting public sentiment and considering the present situation, we have decided to withdraw our application for the public hearing. No further action will be taken in this regard until the support of the villagers is obtained."
Roots of the Conflict
The protest against the project has been steadfast, with villagers from the 14 villages holding a sit-in for 18 consecutive days. To amplify their demand for the formal scrapping of the December 8 hearing, they blocked the Libra village road by felling trees, vowing to allow no vehicle movement.
The proposed mine, spread over 3,020 hectares with a planned capacity of 15 million tonnes per annum, has faced fierce resistance. Locals have raised serious concerns about improper consultation processes and potential environmental damage.
Gharghoda SDM Durga Prasad Adhikary confirmed that a first-round meeting with a delegation of protesting villagers was held on Sunday. He said the administration is progressing with a proposal to cancel the December 8 public hearing. Assuring the residents, he stressed that no proceedings related to the project's extension would occur for now and appealed for peace and non-violence.
"We will inform all stakeholders about further developments," the SDM said, emphasizing the need for a transparent and legally sound consultation process in the future.
