7 months ago
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At slightest 2 twelve constabulary unit were injured erstwhile unit broke retired and stones were pelted by villagers protesting against mining successful Chhattisgarh’s Surguja connected Wednesday (December 3, 2025).
The villagers, residents of Parsodi Kala village, were opposing the Amera hold ember task of the South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited. The protesters claimed that their lands were being taken away. The onshore acquisition process for the said task was completed successful 2016, a territory medication authoritative said.
“Some villagers had received compensation for onshore acquisition, but galore others refused to judge wealth and tried to obstruct mining operations,” Additional District Collector Sunil Nayak told journalists. Officials tried to explicate to the villagers that onshore acquisition had already been completed, and they should let SECL to transportation retired its authorised activities.
However, contempt the explanation, the protestation turned violent, helium added. Surguja Superintendent of Police Rajesh Agrawal told The Hindu that astir “24-25 policemen” had been injured aft villagers threw stones with their hands and slings.
The villagers claimed they had besides been injured by stones and during lathicharge by the police. Mr. Agrawal denied the allegations but said that the constabulary lobbed teargas shells to disperse the protesters. Visuals of villagers pelting stones, and constabulary utilizing teargas besides surfaced online.
Land for agriculture was their lone root of livelihood and it was being taken away, which they opposed, immoderate protesters said.
Leelavati, a protester from Parsodi Kala, said she would not springiness up her land. “We emotion our onshore and bash not privation to springiness it away. SECL volition get coal, but what volition hap to us? Our ancestors lived and earned their livelihood from this land.... Should my lad and grandson beryllium reduced to begging? Our full onshore is being taken for the mine,” Ms. Leelavati told journalists adjacent the protestation site.
There were ineligible avenues disposable if the villagers wanted to rise their concerns, Mr. Nayak said.
The Opposition Congress, meanwhile, attacked the ruling BJP authorities implicit what it called “mining forcefully”.
“Ever since the Bharatiya Janata Party authorities was formed successful the State, determination person been efforts to suppress the voices of tribals and villagers, and determination has been a inclination of mining forcefully. Under unit from Adani (conglomerate), maximum ember mines person been fixed to them. Deforestation is happening and the authorities is providing patronage. Now radical are opposing the SECL, too, due to the fact that support for mining has been granted without obtaining the consent of the villagers,” Congress spokesperson Sushil Anand Shukla said.
