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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | For Adivasis in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, mining has brought increased militarisation and violence -Raksha Kumar

For Adivasis in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, mining has brought increased militarisation and violence -Raksha Kumar

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published Published on May 13, 2018   modified Modified on May 13, 2018
-Scroll.in

They complain that the state treats ordinary villagers opposing mining in the Surjagarh forest no different than it does the Maoists.

Nestled deep in the Surjagarh forest of Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, Gatta seems a serene village. Most people grow their rice, sell tendu leaves, celebrate with mahua and enjoy the lush overgrowth around them. But a closer look throws up a different picture.

Reaching Gatta from Allapally, the nearest town in Etapalli tehsil, requires crossing six paramilitary camps and several police barricades. The largest camp, housing some 200 personnel, is at Hedri, a village of less than 900 people.

“Our village is like a beautiful captured bird,” said Sainu Gota of Gatta, popularly called Gond Raja as his family were traditional leaders of the tribe. He is now a zila parishad member.

If the overwhelming paramilitary presence was not enough, residents of Gatta and surrounding villages must contend with the Surjagarh iron ore mine as well. The government has opened up some 348 hectares of land in Surjagarh for mining iron ore. Lloyd’s Metal and Energy Limited, which is allowed to extract 1.2 million tonnes of ore a year, is already mining while Gopani Iron, Corporate Ispat Alloys and Jindal Steel Works Ispat have secured permission.

The villagers oppose the mining, saying it threatens their environment and livelihood. They are paying a heavy price for their resistance.

In any conversation, the villagers clarify that there are three stakeholders in the battle they are fighting. The state aiding the mining companies, the Maoists and ordinary villagers. “We are opposed to the state but we are not Maoists,” said Mangesh Phungoti, a 23-year-old resident of Gatta.

Phungoti spent three days in jail in January. The police had charged him with obstruction of justice, he alleged, for merely talking to people about their rights under the Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas Act. The 1996 law empowers gram sabhas to decide how their traditional forests and lands are used.

Phungoti said he often speaks to fellow villagers about their rights as Adivasis under the Panchayats Act, the Forests Rights Act of 2006 and other laws.

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Scroll.in, 13 May, 2018, https://scroll.in/article/878610/for-adivasis-in-maharashtras-gadchiroli-mining-has-brought-increased-militarisation-and-violence


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