Skip to main content

As people in central Madhya Pradesh reel under drought, migrate, govt mulling diamond mining project

By Ashok Shrimali*
People of the area, close to the spot where the Madhya Pradesh government is seeking to implement a high-profile Rs 20,520 crore diamond mining project, are in distress. Facing eviction under the pretext of "saving" the world’s most beautiful wild beasts and nearly 1,000 hectares of pristine forest, people of dozen-odd villagers have complained that, despite drought conditions, they are not being provided any relief.
Activists say, the project is being implemented despite a lot of opposition to public hearings to implement it. Sreedhar Ramamurthi, who is with the Environics Trust, has said the villagers believe, “the government seems to be favouring big corporates.”
In a written complaint to the district collector, the villagers have said, despite unprecedented famine conditions, the state government has refused to begin any drought-relief work for the people. “No work is being offered under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS)”, the written complaint, dated May 20, says.
Pointing out that the decision of representing to the district collector was taken at a meeting of village representatives of drought-affected areas, held at Dhatri Resource Centre, Andhra Pradesh, under the auspices of the civil rights network Mines, Minerals and People (MM&P) and the Prithvi Trust, the letter says, about 50 per cent of the people from many of the villages have migrated out in distress.
Demanding that relief work under NREGS should begin immediately, the letter says, there should be “immediate arrangement” for providing water to those people who have stayed back. “There is also an urgent need to provide primary health facilities in the region”, the letter – signed by people from Madaidyyan, Manaki, Manjha, Manavnagar, Kudar, Khajri, Darenra, Purana Panna, Pati, and Sunahra villages – says.
Meanwhile, top decision-makers in the country are reportedly weighing the pros and cons of letting Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest mining companies, look for diamonds under the forests, situated in the vicinity.
Already, India’s forest advisory committee – a statutory body in charge of environmental clearance – has looked into the proposal to award the final clearance, and is about to give its final decision in the matter.
Apart from displacing tribals, activists assert, the project would destroy the tiger corridor, lead to the destruction of the 492,000 trees, and displace tribals. The project, say official sources, could yield over 34.2 million carats of diamond.
Meanwhile, Rio Tinto has said, if implemented, the project would place India among the top 10 diamond producers in the world. It all began in 2004, when the company is said to have discovered a huge reserve. “In September 2006, it secured a prospecting licence, allowing it to continue exploration in the area. In July 2013, the Indian Bureau of Mines approved its mining plan”, a recent report said.
“So far, the company has invested $90 million in exploration, evaluation and pre-feasibility studies”, the report said, quoting its spokesperson as saying, the project is a “positive proof of India’s prospectivity and can showcase a new era of investment friendly governance.”
Located very close to the Panna Tiger Reserve and the Navardehi Wildlife Sanctuary, this area is home to species such as the monitor lizard, Indian pumped vulture, sloth bear, leopards and the Indian gazelle.
Even the government of Madhya Pradesh, in its report to the central government, has confirmed this. “Some rare and endangered species of wild animals (chausinga, leopard, cheetal, chinkara, peacock, etc.) are found in the area. The area is used by tigers as their migratory corridor,” the government said in the report.
---
*General secretary, Mines, Minerals and People

Comments

TRENDING

'Very low rung in quality ladder': Critique of ICMR study on 'sudden deaths' post-2021

By Bhaskaran Raman*  Since about mid-2021, a new phenomenon of extreme concern has been observed throughout the world, including India : unexplained sudden deaths of seemingly healthy and active people, especially youngsters. In the recently concluded Navratri garba celebrations, an unprecedented number of young persons succumbed to heart attack deaths. After a long delay, ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has finally has published a case-control study on sudden deaths among Indians of age 18-45.

SC 'appears to foster' culture of secrecy, does not seek electoral bond details from SBI

By Rosamma Thomas*  In its order of November 2, 2023 on the case of Association for Democratic Reforms vs Union of India contesting constitutional validity of electoral bonds, the Supreme Court directed all political parties to give particulars of the bonds received by them in sealed covers to the Election Commission of India. SC sought that information be updated until September 2023. 

How national chauvinism 'overtook' sport despite cricketing glory of World Cup 2023

By Harsh Thakor*  The recently-concluded cricket World Cup was a testimony or manifestation of the thrills, intensity, twists and turns in sport and evolution of the game of cricket. It carried on the trend of the World Cups of yesteryears. Possibly, this was the best ever Indian team in a World Cup, and arguably amongst the best ever to contest a World Cup.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Only 12% of schools RTE compliant: Whither 6% budgetary allocation for education?

By Ambarish Rai* Despite Indian state’s commitment of 6% GDP on education, the Finance Minister completely ignored right to education for children and strengthening implementation of RTE Act which makes education a fundamental right in her budget speech . The Right to Education (RTE) Forum, which is a collective of different stakeholders in education, condemns this neglect of a legal entitlement, which is unconstitutional and demand for overall increase in the budget to ensure improvement in learning outcomes and overall enhancement of quality education.

Savarkar in Ahmedabad 'declared' two-nation theory in 1937, Jinnah followed 3 years later

By Our Representative One of the top freedom fighters whom BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi revere the most, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was also a great supporter of the two nation theory for India, one for Hindus another for Muslims, claims a new expose on the man who is also known to be the original proponent of the concept of Hindutva.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

'Ambiguous policy': India late in advocating EVs as energy storage in national grid

By Shankar Sharma*  This is regarding the points raised by the Chief Electricity Authority’s (CEA's) advocacy for usage of electrical vehicles (EVs) as energy storage technology, and few associated issues . An objective reading of what he states should reiterate the enormously growing importance of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in our need to transition to a net-zero carbon scenario for the country.

Is India emulating west, 'using' anti-terror plank to justify state-supported violence?

Fahad Ahmad, Baljit Nagra*  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused India of being involved in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh leader, on Canadian soil. Narendra Modi’s right-wing Hindu nationalist Indian government is defiant and denies involvement. Indian officials have instead admonished Canada for being a “ safe haven ” for Sikh “terrorism,” a pejorative for Sikh self-determination .