| Talking to The Telegraph Barla warned that the seething villagers were getting more and more impatient with the state as they felt that industrialisation was a threat to indigenous culture and values. "We are not going to sit idle," she added. |
| OUR CORRESPONDENT |
| Ranchi, Sept. 30: Residents of over 40 gram panchayat sabhas in Khunti today submitted a memorandum to the industry director, Aradhana Patnaik, protesting against the ArcelorMittal land acquisition bid to set up the Torpa steel plant. In the memorandum of demands, the villagers vowed to fight "till the end" to safeguard their right over water, forest and land (jal, jungle aur zameen). The letter was forwarded by the co-ordinator of the Adivasi Moolvasi Astitva Raksha Manch, Dayamani Barla. The demands included that the state government halt land transfer in Torpa block immediately and that the ryot rights over villages that has been granted to ArcelorMittal is declared null and void. Citing provisions under the Chhotanagpur Tenanacy Act and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act, the residents argued that the villages' tribal communities were the "real owners" of the water, forest and land in the area. Thus, the government had no right to transfer these. The Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, too, upholding the "traditional rights of the tribals" was quoted in the letter. Instead of setting up new industries in the area, the residents have demanded that waters from Koel, Karo and Chhata be made available to farmers for agriculture. Copies of the memorandum were also sent to the governor and industry secretary. On September 14, members of 32 gram sabha had submitted a similar memorandum to Khunti deputy commissioner, while on September 22, yet another was shot off to the Gumla deputy commissioner. Talking to The Telegraph Barla warned that the seething villagers were getting more and more impatient with the state as they felt that industrialisation was a threat to indigenous culture and values. "We are not going to sit idle," she added. ArcelorMittal plans to start a 12MT greenfield steel plant in Torpa and Kamdara blocks and needs 8,000 acres for the projects. According to members of Adivasi Moolvasi Astitva Raksha Manch, several farmers from the 32 villages of Khunti and Gumla would be displaced if the firm goes ahead with its plan. |
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Anti-Mittal cry grows louder
Monday, September 28, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
ArcelorMittal looks for new site in J'Khand
ArcelorMittal looks for new site in J'Khand
She said: "We are not ready to give an inch of land to the project and our agitation will continue till the company formally announces its pullout from the area. Till now, there has been no word from the company or the government."
23 Sep 2009, 0222 hrs IST, Navtan Kumar & Rakhi Mazumdar, ET Bureau
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RANCHI/KOLKATA: Facing stiff resistance from villagers in Khunti and Gumla of Jharkhand, ArcelorMittal is understood to be seriously
contemplating some alternative site for its ambitious 12-mtpa project in the state.
No decisions have been taken so far, but sources said all options are being kept open. ET had got in touch with Sudhir Maheshwari, member of ArcelorMittal's group management board, which is responsible for M&A and business development, on the issue.
In reply, the company stated: "We remain committed to our current site in Jharkhand, but we will always consider other back-up options to ensure project completion. A series of pro-active CSR programmes is being carried out in the area focusing on health, education, capacity building and livelihood."
As intense anti-project protests continue, spearheaded by the Adivasi Moolvasi Astitiva Raksha Manch, state industry secretary NN Sinha said any company facing such a stalemate situation would consider an alternative site definitely. He clarified that no formal communication from ArcelorMittal's side had been received yet.
Speaking to ET, Mr Sinha said: "Senior company officials have been assuring us that they remain committed to the Jharkhand project. We also have information that the company has been doing several activities under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. But the fact that they have made little headway on the land acquisition front might force them to shift to some other location." Company sources here said: "The MoU with the state government was signed in 2005, but till now we have not got land. In this situation, there is no harm in keeping an eye open for some other option."
Meanwhile, there is speculation that the alternative, if at all, could be somewhere in the Seraikela-Kharsawan, East Singhbhum or West Singhbhum districts. These areas too were apparently shortlisted by the company initially and are home to a large number of industrial units, including those of Tata Steel.
ArcelorMittal had applied for about 11,000 acres in Khunti and Gumla districts, but the government has offered 1,025 acres. Opposing the government move, the Manch chief activist, Dayamani Barla, explained that the Manch's opposition was "in line with the sentiments of the people of the area".
She said: "We are not ready to give an inch of land to the project and our agitation will continue till the company formally announces its pullout from the area. Till now, there has been no word from the company or the government."
So, till the company formally moves on to any alternative site or the Manch decides to budge, the stalemate is likely to continue.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Mittal may have to shift steel plant in Jharkhand : May he see light at the end of the tunnel?
Mittal may have to shift steel plant in Jharkhand
RANCHI/ JAMSHEDPUR: The steel giant Arcelor Mittal is all set to do what the Tatas did in Singur. Sources said the company was considering shifting its proposed Rs 40,000 crore greenfield integrated steel plant project from Torpa in Khunti district to another location within the state following stiff resistance by anti-displacement groups in the area.
Ever since the company decided to set up its 12 million tonne steel plant in the district as proposed in its MoU with the Jharkhand government in October 2005, various groups led by a tribal journalist-turned-activist, Dayamani Balra, have strongly opposed industrialization of their `jal jungle and zameen' (land, forest and water) and are not willing to compromise on any issue with the steel tycoon.
Industry secretary N N Sinha told reporters in Jamshedpur on Monday that the company might consider relocation of its plant if the stalemate continued. Sources said the groups are not prepared to compromise or negotiate on the issue of displacement or rehabilitation. The company, sources said, is not considering taking the project out of the state. Hiowever, an alternative site in Jharkhand is yet to be decided, sources added.
The Singur unrest was different: the government had forcefully acquired land for the Tatas. But in this case, the government has not used any force for acquiring land nor does it intend to do so in future, sources pointed out.
Speaking to TOI, Balra however said she would continue her struggle against displacement no matter where the Mittals decided to shift their project. "It is the question of survival of tribal heritage, our land, rivers and forests,'' she said, adding that the people in the villages have been protecting these and will continue to do so in the future.
Balra, however, said she had no objection to development or industrialization provided steel plants or power projects were set up on wastelands. "The industrialists have no right to take away our agricultural land,'' she reiterated.
ArcelorMittal needs about 6,000 acres of land for the proposed project.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Emissaries of Arcelor Mittal driven out from Torpa
Moushumi Basu | Ranchi
The world steel giant, Arcelor Mittal, which has proposed to set up a 12 MTPA steel plant in the State, was caught on the wrong foot once again. The emissaries of the company from the Rinchi Hospital in the State capital, deputed for carrying out CSR activities in the health sector on the proposed sites were driven out by the villagers from the Torpa area, on Friday.
The five-member team was let off only after they produced a written undertaking undersigned by them that they would not be seen here again.
The team that had arrived in an ambulance for the distribution of medicines in the villages was intercepted near Kulda village, in Torpa block. Incidentally, it was caught in the rally of the villagers from the four blocks of Torpa, Rania, Karra and Kamdarra in the twin districts of Khunti and Gumla. It was under the banner of the Adivasi Moolvaasi Asthitva Raksha Manch (AMARM), in protest against the proposed steel plant. Leading the rally was the vociferous social activist Dayamani Barla.
When questioned by the villagers, the visitors admitted that they had been authorised by the Mittals, for the distribution of medicines amongst the villagers, as a part of health activities. "When we are opposing the entry of Mittal, in the area, how can we allow its authorised agency and ambulance to make way into the villages", shot back Barla.
Further, the vehicle did not even bear a number plate, pointed out Arun Topno, a local villager, adding that they were held by the villagers for half an hour and were allowed to go after they gave us a written bond of never to come back again. It was undersigned by Dr. SK Mishra, Lav Kush Verma, Surendra, besides two staff nurses.
Meanwhile, amidst heavy downpour the villagers shouted anti-slogans as "To- To No- No Aagua, Karkhana Kabua..." (We will plough our fields... we do not want factory) "Sarna Sake Abua" (Forests and religious places are our's…) against the world steel giant. Leaving aside their fields and sowing, they paraded for at least 2.5 kms from Kulda village to the Torpa Hill Chowk. Later, the rally converged into a meeting in the Torpa block campus.
The speakers including Barla herself, advocate Dhanik Guria, Rejan Topno, Sicilia Topno, addressed the meeting, reiterating the resolve that they would not part even with an inch of land, for the proposed plant. Later, a memorandum was submitted to the DC Khunti along with the CO and BDO, Torpa.
Their prominent demands include that the provisions of CNT Act should not be violated at any cost. The displacement of Adivasis and native population must be stopped and the waters of the traditional rivers of the region, Koel, Karo and Chata be supplied to the farmers for the development of both agriculture and environment. The corporate companies should not be allowed to be made owners of their land.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
MINING-INDIA: Woman Leads Tribals Against World's Steel Maker
MINING-INDIA: Woman Leads Tribals Against World's Steel Maker
Posted by admin on September 12, 2009
By Gagandeep Johar
NEW DELHI, Sep 12 (IPS) The fight against the world's biggest
steel maker, ArcelorMittal, is being waged from a tiny tea stall in
Ranchi, eastern India.
It is run by Dayamani Barla, a journalist and activist, and is the office
of the Adivasi Moolvaasi Ashthitva Raksha Manch (AMARM), which loosely
translates as a platform for the protection of the rights and identity of
indigenous peoples.
As AMARM'S convenor, Barla, in her forties, is at the forefront
of a campaign to stop an 8.2 billion dollar steel plant project by
transnational ArcelorMittal that will uproot 40 villages and 70,000
indigenous people in mineral-rich Jharkhand state.
The global steel giant has been allocated vast coal blocks and iron ore
sites. Dense forests and rivers will be obliterated by the mining. Ancient
ways of life practiced by tribals will be lost forever.
"The project will displace not just 70,000 aboriginals but 70,000
generations of people," says Barla. "Our culture, social values
are linked to our jungles and cannot be replaced."
The project to build one of the world's biggest steel mills was
launched by stealth in 2005. Unknown to villagers, ArcelorMittal, which
wants 12,000 acres of land, conducted a land survey.
Barla, who has written on tribal and Dalit rights issues for 10 years in
Prabhat Khabar, an influential Hindi-language daily, stumbled on a map of
Jharkhand in a block officer's cabin, where 40 villages,
including her own, were marked. Further investigations revealed the
markings constituted the project area of a proposed steel plant.
For four years, Barla has travelled from village to village alerting
villagers of their impending displacement. "We want development but
not at our cost," she is emphatic. "I have worked against
displacement for a long time now and my research shows displaced people
don't have proper lives. They loose their sense of belonging."
In the nineties, Barla was involved with the massive protests against the
ambitious Koel-Karo hydropower project in Jharkhand. Faced with
unrelenting opposition, the government was forced to shelve the plan in
2000.
Jharkhand's tribals are well acquainted with the irreversibility
of displacement. A power project in the early sixties - the state-run
Heavy Engineering Corporation in the Hatiya region, set up in
collaboration with Soviet and German help - had uprooted 36 villages
belonging to the Uraanv, Munda and Khadia 'adivasis'
(indigenous people). The villagers are still rootless.
Only 5 percent of people uprooted by so-called development projects in
Jharkhand have ever been resettled, says Barla.
The pressure on tribal and forest lands has multiplied since the nineties,
when India opened its economy and international and Indian industries
flocked to Jharkhand to exploit its mineral wealth,
AMARM has taken an oath that no village will be uprooted by ArcelorMittal.
The next move will be litigation against the transnational giant, she
says, but doesn't divulge details.
Barla, and her husband Nelson who previously owned a paan (betel leaves)
stall, plot strategy with activist comrades in their tea stall-cum-office,
Jharkhand Hotel on Ranchi's Club Road. Tea stalls are gathering
places in India.
"Every villager contributes one muthi (fist) of rice and one rupee,
each time a mass agitation is planned," says Barla. When 15,000
people camped in Ranchi, among Jharkhand's big cities, in March
2008 for weeks, AMARM was able to feed them day after day.
"The day we take outside funds, the movement will break," she
says.
Barla who has a masters in commerce from Ranchi University, is a self-made
woman. Born in Arahara village, Gumla district, she went to Ranchi at the
age of 13. Her father's fields were taken away by moneylenders,
and the family "disintegrated", she recounts.
"My family disintegrated because we couldn't fight the
moneylenders. My father had to work as a daily wager; my brother went to
Ranchi to work as a coolie (labourer). Even I worked for other farmers
before I left for Ranchi," she says.
For the first two years in the unfamiliar city, she lived with her brother
in a cattle shed - the only thing they could afford - and scraped together
a living as a domestic worker. She washed dishes and mopped floors before
and after school in several houses, she says. When she completed grade 10
(in 1984) she began tutoring children at home - stopping only when she
graduated from college.
The rigours of her early life have given her confidence to pursue her
dream, she says.
Barla became a journalist because "Dalit, tribal and women's
issues were not really addressed in the media," she says. She
dedicated her life in the cause of her people who, she says, have suffered
because of lack of education.
"I was clear from the very beginning that I want to fight for my
people. My parents were exploited because they were not educated and were
uninformed. I didn't want anybody in my community to suffer for not
being educated."
Barla's entry in her blog on Mar. 19, 2009 says: "We need food
grains, not steel. Jharkhand is ours not a jagir (fiefdom) of any company.
We want development, not industry."
Inevitably AMARM's fight is compared with the Narmada Bachao
Andolan (NBA), the long-running movement to save the Narmada river in
central India led by Medha Patkar, the 1992 winner of the Alternative
Nobel Prize.
"Our movement is different from NBA's in the sense that
there was no protest in the beginning but it happened later over the
height of the dam," she says. "Here we are protesting from the
very beginning that we will not give our land on any condition."
"Ek inch bhi zameen nahi denge (We won't give even an inch
of our land)," she concludes.