Skip to main content

Sand mafia led by BJP corporator attacks Narmada Bachao Andolan activists in Badwani, cops refuse to act

By Our Representative
Stone pelting greeted activists associated with the well-known anti-dam civil rights organization, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), on the state highway from Badwani to Nisarpur, near Rajghat, Madhya Pradesh, when they tried stopping three tractors filled with sand, allegedly being smuggled from the river. The incident happened soon after two of the activists, Rohit and Raja, tried calling the Badwani police station to visit the spot.
Finding themselves caught in a difficult situation, one of the three tractors emptied the sand on the road, a second one ran away in the opposite direction, while the third one, chased by NBA activists, was given protection by around 30 to 40 persons of the sand mafia, said NBA eye-witnesses.
Soon, stone-pelting began, damaging the glass of the jeep in which the NBA activists had come. Rohit and Raja suffered minor injuries, but they saved their life by escaping in  their jeep in the other direction. The tractor escaped. Local sources say, those involved in the incident were led by a BJP corporator from Badwani. The attackers included 30 people, mostly belonging to village Bhilkheda or Badwani town.
Alleged NBA activists, the police, even as registering an FIR with "mild" clauses, refused to act, even though they had submitted all photographs and videos of the incident to police officers, and also identified many of those involved in stone pelting.
Thereafter, activists visited the local mineral department on advise from the police. "There was a long discussion with mineral superintendent Sachin Verma. He said that all the rights of sand excavation have been given by the state government to the zilla panchayat, so they cannot take any action on any case of illegal sand mining", said an NBA communique.
It added, "This way the administration continued moving activists from one place to another, but refused to take any action. The police has registered case against illegal sand mining and attack on NBA workers under Sections 341, 294, 323, 506, 427 and 34, but has not imposed Section 307 (attempt to kill)."
According to NBA, "During the Narmada Seva Yatra, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced that illegal sand mining along Narmada would be totally prohibited, putting all the responsibility for this on the police administration, mineral department, Narmada Valley Development Authority, and politicians."
"Yet", it said, "The alliance of sand mafia, politicians and administration remains intact. The quantity of quarries and of sand mining has increased considerably. As police, mineral departmrnt and district panchayat are not working together against sand mafias, the Narmada Valley is being pushed to the brink of death."
Contending that sand mafia has the blessings of the rulers of Madhya Pradesh and their nominees, NBA said, "Despite the High Court and National Green Tribunal orders, illegal mining continues on the banks of Narmada, including in the submergence area, causing environmental damage. NBA has reported about this to the revenue and police department, yet things have not changed."

Comments

Uma said…
Police? Act? against those in power???????????? You may as well ask for the moon

TRENDING

'Draconian' Kerala health law follows WHO diktat: Govt readies to take harsh measures

By Dr Maya Valecha*  The Governor of Kerala has signed the Kerala Public Health Bill, which essentially reverses the people’s campaign in healthcare services in Kerala for decentralisation. The campaign had led to relinquishing of state powers in 1996, resulting in improvement of health parameters in Kerala. Instead, now, enforcement of law through the exercise of power, fines, etc., and the implementation of protocol during the pandemic, are considered of prime importance.

Reject WHO's 'draconian' amendments on pandemic: Citizens to Union Health Minister

By Our Representative  Several concerned Indian citizens have written to the Union Health Minister to reject amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted during the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA75) in May 2022, apprehending this will make the signatories surrender their autonomy to the “unelected, unaccountable and the whimsical WHO in case of any future ‘pandemics’.”

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. 

Bihar rural women entrepreneurs witness 50% surge in awareness about renewal energy

By Mignonne Dsouza*  An endline survey conducted under the Bolega Bihar initiative revealed a significant increase in awareness of renewable energy among women, rising from 25% to 76% in Nalanda and Gaya. Renu Kumari, a 34-year-old entrepreneur from Nalanda, Bihar, operates a village eatery that serves as the primary source of income for her family, including her husband and five children. However, a significant portion of her profits was being directed toward covering monthly electricity expenses that usually reach Rs 2,000. 

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.

Work with Rajasthan's camel herders: German scientist wins World Cookbook Award 2023

By Rosamma Thomas*  Gourmand World Cookbook Awards are the only awards for international food culture. This year, German scientist  Ilse Kohler Rollefson , founder of Camel Charisma, the first of India’s camel dairies, in Pali district of Rajasthan, won the award for her work with camel herders in Rajasthan, and for preparing for the UN International Year of Camelids, 2024. 

Why is electricity tariff going up in India? Who is the beneficiary? A random reflection

By Thomas Franco*  Union Ministry of Power has used its power under Section 11 of the Electricity Act, 2003 to force States to import coal which has led to an increase in the cost of electricity production and every consumer is paying a higher tariff. In India, almost everybody from farmers to MSMEs are consumers of electricity.

Golwalkar's views on tricolour, martyrs, minorities, caste as per RSS archives

By Shamsul Islam*  First time in the history of independent India, the in-charge minister of the Cultural Ministry in the current Modi government, Prahlad Singh Patel, has glorified MS Golwalkar, second supremo of the RSS and the most prominent ideologue of the RSS till date, on his birth anniversary, February 19. In a tweet he wrote : “Remembering a great thinker, scholar, and remarkable leader #MSGolwalkar on his birth anniversary. His thoughts will remain a source of inspiration & continue to guide generations.”

'Pro-corporate agenda': Odisha crackdown on tribal slum dwellers fighting for land rights

By Our Representative  The civil rights network Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), even as condemning what it calls “brutal repression” on the Adivasi slum dwellers of Salia Sahi in Bhubaneshwar by the Odisha police, has said that the crackdown was against the tribals struggling for land rights in order to “stop the attempts at land-grab by the government.”

Deplorable, influential sections 'still believe' burning coal is essential indefinitely

By Shankar Sharma*  Some of the recent developments in the power sector, as some  recent news items show, should be of massive relevance/ interest to our policy makers in India. Assuming that our authorities are officially mandated/ committed to maintain a holistic approach to the overall welfare of all sections of our society, including the flora, fauna and general environment, these developments/ experiences from different parts of the globe should be clear pointers to the sustainable energy pathways for our people.