Hundreds of raiyats and displaced villagers from several revenue villages in Keredari block of Hazaribagh district gathered at Hewai Panchayat Bhavan on Sunday to protest against the proposed B&C North Coal Block project. The meeting, organized under the leadership of Zilla Parishad representative Niranjan Sahu and conducted by Karan Kushwaha, collective resolve not to give away agricultural land for mining to the Orrisa Alloy Steel Private Limited. The villagers said their forefathers had cultivated the land for generations and that it would continue to sustain their families in the future.
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Locals Opposed Land Acquisition for Orissa Alloy Steel Project
The villagers raised strong objections against Orissa Alloy Steel Pvt. Ltd., the company authorised to develop the B&C North Coal Block under the Rashmi Group. They alleged that despite repeated assurances, the concerns of local residents were being ignored. In a unanimous resolution, villagers from about 15 affected villages including Hewai, Pehra, Uferol, Kandaiber, Bariatu, Jabra, Bengwari, Harla, Baseria, Gemra, and Pandekuli vowed not to part with their multi-crop farmland. The slogans of “Jaan denge par zameen nahi denge” (We’ll give our lives, not our land) echoed through the meeting venue.
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Villagers Cited Past Experiences, Formed Monitoring Committees
Villagers discussed the example of other mining projects in the region, such as those involving BGR Company, where land donors allegedly received little benefit and faced exclusion later. Expressing anger over such precedents, villagers decided to bar company representatives from entering their villages. Anyone found aiding company officials would face social penalties, the gathering resolved. To strengthen coordination, committees will be formed in every affected village to monitor activities related to the coal block.
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Project Expected to Impact 14 Villages in Keredari Region
The B&C North Coal Block, located in Keredari Anchal of Hazaribagh district, is expected to affect around 14 villages including Bagwari, Baseria, Tarhesa, Pandu, Kancha, Pandeykuli, Harla, Bariatu, Jamira, Beltu, Uferol, Jabra, and Kandaiber. The project has been officially allotted to Orissa Alloy Steel Pvt. Ltd. by the Government of India for mining operations. However, the ongoing opposition from locals has raised concerns about the pace of land acquisition and the future of the project.
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