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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | The sorry plight of Khara tribals in M.P. by Mahim Pratap Singh

The sorry plight of Khara tribals in M.P. by Mahim Pratap Singh

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published Published on Oct 17, 2009   modified Modified on Oct 17, 2009

REWA: Having struggled for the past five years for their land, mine workers of Khara village in Madhya Pradesh still do not know what they are fighting against—a feudal social system, a corrupt Forest Department, or their own fate?

Khara village is a typical example of how feudal forces with tacit approval from the local administration still call the shots in most of rural India.Three years of drought and a barren, stony terrain make agriculture a difficult proposition here, except for a few patches of fertile land. This means that the only means of livelihood for the 70-odd tribal households here is working as labourers in stone mines or migrate for work to neighbouring Shankargarh in Uttar Pradesh, which most of them have done. The land over which mining takes place belongs to the State Forest Department. To obtain a lease for this land so that they can pursue mining on their own, the tribals of Khara need the mandate of the Gram Sabha. However, Sarpanch Ram Gopal Tiwari, a Brahmin, has not convened a meeting of the Gram Sabha for the past five years over a past conflict with tribals over agricultural land.

“This land was promised to us by the Sarpanch during elections,” says Raj Narain, the Up-Sarpanch. “Even the then SDM agreed to give us pattas for this land, but he was transferred. When we didn’t get it, we seized it. The district administration started a media campaign and termed us naxalites,” he says.

Lathis versus guns

In 2005, they were evicted by the district administration and the police. “We only had our lathisi while they were all armed with guns. So we had to leave. Now there is nothing to do except work in the mines,” says Narain. Working in the mines fetches two labourers working together for 15 days around Rs.2,500. This is sold off by the contractor for Rs.4,500. This, however, makes the tribals criminals under the law as the entire process is an illegal operation. The contractor who buys from them is from cross-border UP and does not have the lease rights for the land. The district administration, however, is not even aware of the issue. The Additional District Magistrate of Rewa, N. P. Dahariya, said: “I am not aware of this issue and cannot comment without consent from the Collector.”

The Collector, when approached by the tribals, said the matter could be taken up only after clearance from the Gram Sabha. “If we get the lease rights for the mining land, we can earn up to Rs.8,000-10,000 for our work,” says the Up-Sarpanch. “We got a proposal map made by the Patwari, but when we went to the Sarpanch, he threatened to shoot us,” he adds. When contacted, Chief Conservator of Forests (Rewa Range) V. V. Singh refused to comment: “I know nothing about this issue and I cannot comment.” “He has instructed the forest officials to beat up and chase anyone who comes asking questions about the mining issue,” says Siyadulari, an activist working in the area.


The Hindu, 17 October, 2009, http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/17/stories/2009101755570900.htm
 

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