Udaipur. Local villagers have now come together to demand the Rajasthan government to start the Parsa mine located in Udaipur block of Surguja district and for the regular operation of Parsa East Kanta Basan (PEKB). Regarding these two projects, hundreds of villagers of the area met former Deputy Chief Minister and senior Congress leader TS Singhdev who came to village Hariharpur on Monday and submitted a memorandum.
In the memorandum, the villagers have asked for the regular operation of PEKB, the only coal mine allotted in their area, and for eliminating all the hindrances in starting the Parsa coal project which has been stalled for years. Even before this, these villagers had given a memorandum signed by 1208 people to MP Rahul Gandhi in the Bharat Jodo Yatra organized in Indore on 10 December 2021, whereas on 1 June 2021, a memorandum signed by 534 people was submitted to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in Raipur. Apart from this, on March 8, 2022, the application of 60 people was submitted to Health Minister TS Singhdev and on November 3, 2023, a signed memorandum of 1732 people was submitted to the then Chief Minister and Health Minister. During the meeting with the villagers on all these dates, TS Singhdev had given assurance of regular operation of the PEKB mine running in the area by removing all the disruptions in it. In two separate memorandums submitted to TS Singhdev on 25 December 2023, the villagers All the land affected families of Parsa Coal Block have talked about getting Parsa Coal Block started soon and providing jobs to the unemployed. It is written in the memorandum that, “All of us account holders and affected villagers are residents of Salhi, Janradanpur, Fatepur, Tara and Hariharpur villages and we have taken compensation for the land of Parsa Coal Block allotted to Rajasthan State Electricity Generation Corporation Limited two years ago.” Along with the land compensation, our land has been transferred in the name of Rajasthan State Power Generation, but till date the operation of the mine has not started. Due to this, we the affected villagers have been deprived of jobs and other facilities even after two years in the project.
It has been said in the memorandum that we all the affected villagers have been continuously demanding jobs from the government and the project for two years. For this, we have given demand letters to the government/administration several times, but till date the affected landowners have not been able to get jobs, while even after completion of all the statutory proceedings of Parsa Coal Block, the mine has been forcibly banned by the government. Due to which our livelihood and development is being affected. Now we are not able to do farming or anything else on that land, nor is the mine able to open, due to which our economic condition has become miserable. The future of our children is becoming bleak.”
In another memorandum, regarding providing land for the next ten years for the smooth operation of the PEKB project, a group of villagers has written to TS Singhdev that, “Parsa East and Kanta Basan coal mines in Udaipur development block of Surguja district. It is being operated for the last ten years. With the opening of this mine, the livelihood of the families of the mine affected families and the nearby local people is ensured. We the applicants are members of mine affected families and nearby rural residents and most of the people are supporting their families by working in the mine. Before the opening of the mine, the economic condition of our people was quite pathetic and there was lack of employment, education, health and other basic facilities, but ever since Parsa East and Kete Bassen coal mine became operational, there has been complete development of our area. Has started. With the opening of this mine, employment opportunities have increased here. Since the opening of the mine, a CBSE board school is running in English medium till class 11th for free and excellent education in this area, in which hundreds of children are getting education. Health facilities have been arranged and free 24-hour ambulance facility is provided in the surrounding villages.
The villagers also requested that due to non-availability of land for mine operation, the work of mine operation gets affected every now and then, which has an adverse effect on the livelihood and development of our people. To ensure that such a situation does not happen again, land should be made available to Parsa East Kanta Basan for the next 10 years for its smooth operation. Besides, Rajasthan State Electricity is proposed to open a hospital with 100 beds with all facilities for the residents of the area at village Salhi Mor, but due to no initiative taken by the government/administration, we villagers are deprived of the benefits of health facilities.
Local villagers, mainly tribals, have actively protested against the closure of the mine and several applications have been submitted to political leaders and officials at various levels. These applications, submitted on several occasions, were aimed at highlighting the potential benefits of the mining project, including employment opportunities and wider development potential for the area.
Among the memorandum and applications of the villagers, the memorandum has been submitted to the top leaders of the party including the then Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister. Along with this, applications of 173 people were also submitted to the newly elected MLAs of the area on December 12, 2023. Apart from this, 206 people had applied in Surguja Collectorate on 6 December 2023.
