A day after violent clashes erupted during protests against a coal mining project in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh district, the district administration on Sunday agreed to cancel the results of a public hearing held for the project — a key demand of the protesters.
For over two weeks, residents from 14 villages in Tamnar block have been protesting against a proposed coal mine, saying they do not want to give up their agricultural land, which has been their primary source of livelihood for generations.
The protest turned violent on Saturday after police attempted to remove around 50 women who were sitting on the road near Cold Handling Plant Chowk in Libra village to block mining-related vehicles. The situation escalated when thousands of villagers gathered at the site, outnumbering police personnel. Three vehicles were torched, and two senior police officers were injured during the clash.
Following the unrest, District Collector Mayank Chaturvedi held a meeting with village representatives on Sunday. Sub Divisional Magistrate Durga Prasad Adhikari later confirmed that the administration had begun the process of cancelling the December 8 public hearing.
“We have started work on cancelling the results of the public hearing. We request everyone to maintain peace and not take the law into their own hands,” Adhikari said.
The public hearing was conducted as part of the environmental clearance process for a proposed open-cast-cum-underground coal mine spread across 3,020 hectares, with a production capacity of 15 million tonnes per annum. The project affects 14 villages in the Tamnar block, including Budhiya, Raipara, Amgaon, Libra, and Jhinkabahal.
Protesters argue that the hearing was unfair and that their concerns were ignored. Many residents fear displacement, loss of livelihood, and environmental damage.
“We do not want to sell our land at all,” said Kamla Patel from Jhinkabahal village. “This land feeds us. If we lose it, what will happen to our children?”
Another protester, Murlidhar Nayank from Aamgaon, said that most villagers depend entirely on farming. “We don’t have other skills. Losing our land means losing everything.”
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said an inquiry would be conducted into the violence. “Those found guilty will face action,” he said.
The project has been allotted to the Jindal Group, which stated that it would continue engaging with local communities. Jindal Steel President Pradeep Tandon said the company had followed due process and offered compensation, employment to one family member per household, and alternative housing. He added that land acquisition would take place gradually over 30–40 years.
Despite assurances, villagers remain firm. “This is our ancestral land,” said one resident. “Once it’s gone, we have nowhere else to go.”