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2022-02-24

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Indian Economy
www.thehindu.com

Land issue:Tribal people protest against the Deocha Pachami coal mining project in Birbhum district on February 19.PTI- | Photo Credit: -

Prasenjit Bose, economist and activist based in Kolkata, and eight others have been arrested during a protest against a mining project at Deocha Pachami in the Mohammad Bazaar block of Birbhum district in West Bengal.

Four from Kolkata and five from Mohammad Bazaar were held on February 20, but the arrests came to light later. They have been booked for unlawful assembly under Section 149 and for voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant in discharge of his orher duties under Section 333, a non-bailable offence, of the Indian Penal Code. They are under judicial custody and will be produced before a court in Birbhum on Thursday.

The first information report says the accused under the the Birbhum Jomi Jeeban Jeevika O Prakiti Bachao Mahasabha held a meeting at the Dewangunj playground on February 20 “to foment people, particularly Adivasi people having lands and dwellings under the Deocha Pachami Dewangunj Horisinga coal area, not to give their land for the said project and also not to allow the project to start”.

In the FIR, the police officer said the mob was declared unlawful and he requested them to disperse, but they did not pay “any heed and assaulted me and other officers”.

The activists said a “misleading propaganda has started that the villagers are willing to give land voluntarily” for the project. “It is unfortunate that instead of engaging with people and their grievances and issues against the coal mine project, the administration is imprisoning tribal women and activists on false and serious charges,” Albeena Shakil, wife of Mr. Bose, said.

The arrest comes at a time when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that there will be no forcible acquisition of land for the project.

The lawyer representing the nine arrested, Somnath Mukherjee, said that since it was a sensitive matter the police were trying to keep those arrested behind the bar for the maximum period possible.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the project would create one lakh jobs. She gave cheques and appointment letters to the displaced. On February 21, the State government revised the relief and rehabilitation package . Out of 4,300 families, 1,600 was giving up land willingly, she said.

The Deocha Pachami coal block is considered the largest the country with a reserve of around 1,198 million tonnes of coal.


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