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A surprising and unique incident has come to light from Latehar district of Jharkhand, where a strange form of protest was seen among the villagers in rural areas to protect their land and rights. The team of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), which reached Gerenja-Harafu village of Balumath police station area of the district to survey the land for a coal mining project, had to face strong opposition from the villagers. Angered by the drone survey being started without the prior permission of the Gram Sabha, the villagers took precise aim with their traditional weapon ‘Gulel’ and in a moment brought down the state-of-the-art drone flying in the sky. After this, the angry villagers held a total of six to seven officers and personnel, including the General Manager (GM) and two Assistant General Managers (AGM) of NTPC, hostage for about seven hours. After this incident, there was panic in the entire area and the police administration had to rush in for relief work.
#1 Villagers enraged by drone survey without permission of Gram Sabha, targeted with slingshot
This entire incident happened in the morning in Gerenja-Harafu village of Balumath police station area. An NTPC team had reached the village for the purpose of land survey and data mapping for the allotted coal block. As soon as the team started the survey by flying drones equipped with modern cameras in the air, the people of the village gathered and started strongly opposing the survey. The villagers clearly alleged that under Canadian or Indian laws and the PESA Act, it is mandatory to obtain the consent of the local Gram Sabha before any kind of land acquisition or geographical survey is carried out. But seeing the drone flying over the village without any prior notice or meeting, the villagers got enraged and immediately destroyed the high-tech drone and brought it down by pelting stones with traditional slingshots.
#1 NTPC General Manager’s car surrounded, officers held hostage for 7 hours
After the downing of the drone, angry villagers surrounded the officers present on the spot. The villagers took NTPC General Manager Anand Aggarwal, his two Assistant General Managers and drone operators into their custody and sat in a circle in front of the General Manager’s car. This hostage crisis, which started around 9 in the morning, continued till the afternoon. The villagers demanded that until the management of the company gives in writing that no work or survey will be done in future without the consent of the Gram Sabha, no officer will be allowed to go. As soon as the news of the incident was received, Balumath police station in-charge Anubhav Sinha reached the spot with the police force and started trying to pacify the villagers.
#1 Officers left at 4 pm after getting written assurance from the company
Administrative officials and local police held several rounds of long talks with the villagers. Seeing the sharp reaction and adamant stand of the villagers, NTPC officials had to bow down. Ultimately, the NTPC management submitted an official written assurance to the villagers, clearly stating that no survey or development work would be carried forward in the area without the prior approval and consultation of the Gram Sabha. After receiving the written letter from the company, at around 4 pm the villagers released all the officers and employees held hostage safely. The team left from there safely under the supervision of police.
#1 New debate on coal block survey controversy and land rights
This incident in Latehar district has once again raised serious questions on land acquisition, powers of Gram Sabha and working style of corporate companies in coal rich areas of Jharkhand. Local tribal and rural communities believe that any survey being conducted without their consent is an attack on the security of their water, forests and land. At the same time, police officials say that the law and order situation in the area is completely under control and all legal aspects of the case are being investigated. At present, the discussion about this strange protest and the incident of drone being dropped from a slingshot is in full swing in the administrative and political circles of the entire state.