Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has ordered an immediate stay on all mining activities in Dantewada region on Tuesday, June 11. He took the decision after thousands of tribals from around 200 villages in the district protested against the mining activities in Bailadila iron ore deposit-13 managed by Adani Enterprise.
thousands of tribals from villages of Dantewada and Bijapur districts had staged an agitation a few days ago opposing the excavation and mine development in the area, the contract for which was given to Adani Enterprises by the National Mineral Development Corporation (NDMC).
Per a report published in Nai Duniya, Baghel met the representatives of the demonstrators — Bastar MP Deepak Baij, local MLAs, and senior Congress leader Arvind Netam — to discuss their demands on Tuesday. They feared that Adani Group’s mining would cause destruction to the local ecology and their sacred place, the Nadaraj Hill.
Further, the delegation informed Baghel that the gram sabha meeting held to approve the project was conducted in a non-transparent manner. In 2014, the gram sabha was reportedly held and the sarpanch, who is not able to read and write, had signed the proceedings, which raised doubts over the Social Impact Assessment. Following the information shared by the representatives, the chief minister has ordered a probe into the matter.
The Chhattisgarh government promised to discuss the matter and concerns of the villagers with the Centre, as per On the question of felling of trees, Baghel ordered an immediate ban and accepted that it is the prerogative of the forest department.
