Raipur | April 22, 2016: Threatening a massive movement against South Eastern Coalfield Limited (SECL) in Chhattisgarh's Korba district, thousands of villagers and farmers of at least 40 villages announced they would block coal dispatch from the country's biggest coal mine at Gevra project on May 2, unless their demands are met under amended Land Acquisition Act.

Affected with three projects of SECL at Gevra, Kusmunda and Dipka, farmers and locals have decided to unite to fight for rights, demanding justice for land acquired by SECL and get employment, rehabilitation and compensation. Talking to TOI, social activist Laxmi Chouhan said the movement will be intensified as people are joining hands. "While there's no compliance with promises made while SECL acquired land from thousands of people, we decided to block dispatch and stage aggressive protests," Chouhan said.

Farmers said they have become orphaned on their own land. "We have nothing else than land and SECL has either acquired them promising compensation, rehabilitation and employment and given nothing, while saying that it is under process. There's no time limit with SECL projects and there are many loopholes."

Chouhan said process of land acquisition doesn't end till their three promises are fulfilled as per amended Land Acquisition Act 2015.

"We will protest keeping few vital demands before SECL that includes employment to at least one member of affected family, compensation at four-time higher rate than the existing market price, rehabilitation before displacing villagers," a farmer said.

Lands at Pandripani, Bhilaibazaar, Barbhata Kesla, Salora and other villages have been partially acquired, which calls for overall acquisition and leftover land is of no use to farmers. Chouhan said, "We also demand that land acquired over last 20 years and are lying useless should be landscaped and returned to farmers."

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)