Extend Support to the People Protesting Against Sponge Iron Industry in
Chauranga, Chhattisgarh
From February 1, 2008 the sponge iron industry will start operating in
Chauranga. After being on gaurd for almost a month on the roads of
village people of Chauranga have not been heared by the State
Government. People have been protesting against this industry from 2005.
In 2006, due to opposing the Sponge and Power Ltd. in their village, 23
poor people from Chauranga, based in Raipur District of Chhattisgarh
state, were convicted under the murder charges of industrial goons
belonging to the same village. The session court awarded life term
imprisonment irrespective of the fact that it was a mishap for which
most of the people in Chauranga agree. The villagers sentenced are very
poor of which majority are women aged 45 and more. These people cannot
even afford to file a case in higher court against the session court
verdict.
Today, when the local people of Chauranga are still recovering from the
shock of 23 fellow villagers getting the life sentence, another blow to
their lives came from Mr. Suresh Kumar Agarwal, owner of Sponge and
Power Ltd. In a press conference held on 22nd December, 2007 , he
declared that the High Court of Chhattisgarh has given a 'No Objection'
to re-open the plant. He also declared that the 90% work on the factory
costing Rs. 9 crore is almost over. He blatantly stated that the
villagers of Chauranga are very keen in re-opening this factory and they
are in support.
There has been a repeated attempt from the factory owner to re-open the
plant. In August 2007, there was news about the factory opening and some
construction work being done in the factory in response to which
villagers got together and filed a complaint at the police station. The
police intervened in the matter and stopped work on the factory site.
The villagers, in order to prevent a recurrence of such event, submitted
a memorandum to the District Collector and Police Commissioner and asked
them to look into the matter.
Noteworthy is the fact that previously on 9th May, 2005, after clash
between villagers and factory goons, a special Gram Sabha was called and
an agreement was made between the villagers and Mr. Suresh Kumar Agarwal
with a clause that he will never open the factory and also it will be
moved to some other location.
But on 12th December, 2007 work started again on the factory site by
50-60 labourers brought by the industrialist. The people of Chauranga
are feeling cheated by the State and also by the industrialist. Recently
on 22nd December they held a Gram Sabha meeting to decide about the
matter and anonymously a resolution was passed against re-opening of the
factory.
Demanding the closure of sponge iron factory in Chouranga around 700
people gathered at Simga (Tehsil headquarter) on 04th January 2008. They
all marched together with slogan of "no more factory on agriculture
land" and "stop polluting our lives", from town police station to Tehsil
office. People from adjacent villages under the banner of Nadi Ghati
Morcha & Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha handed over a memorandum addressed
to Governor to the SDM (Bhatapara), demanding forfeiting of company's
effort of reopening closed factory. The public meeting was addressed by
representatives of various people's organization and farmer's
organisation. They all called in one voice to close down the Chouranga
factory from village land.
The villagers of Chauranga have been protesting for this whole month
but apathy of the state government to the anguish of people is
maintained. With no response from the state government the villagers
again do not want to resort to violence but they have decided to sit on
indefinite dharna in their village from tomorrow after meeting the Chief
Minsiter of the state. Friends, Chauranga movement is a very crucial
people's movement for Chhattisgarh which is anyway undergoing enormous
human rights violations. Previously, it was this village which had dared
to set an example for the state that any unwanted project could not be
forced on fertile agricultural lands and people are ready to even
sacrifce their life. Today, any setback to this struggle will have
larger impact on the other people's movement in the state. We urge you
to urgently extend your support to this struggle by sending your appeals
and protests to the Cheif Minister , Governor, Commerce and Industries
Minister and Raipur District Collector to-
1. Pressurize the State government to not allow the upcoming factory
in Chauranga and respect the sacrifice people have already given for the
cause. 2. Demand accountability from the Government for denying Gram
Sabha's decision and overlooking constitutional legitimacy given to
Local Self Governance
In Solidarity, Ganesh Ram Verma
Sarpanch, Village Chourenga
Contact- 09926948528
Addresses: 1. Dr. Raman Singh Chief Minister, Chhattisgarh State,
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> , Phone and Fax: 0771
â¦quot;
2221000/ 0771- 2221001/ 0771 â¦quot; 2331001 2. H.E. Shri E.S.L.
Narsimhan Governor, Chhattisgarh State E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Phone Nos.+ 91 - 771 - 2331101/+ 91 - 771 -
2331106/+ 91 - 771 - 2331104 3. Mr. Rajesh Munat, Commerce and
Industry Minister, Government of Chhattisgarh Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Phone and Fax: 0771-2221104/0772- 2535423,
2236100 4. Vikassheel, District collector, Raipur
[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Phone - 09425256606/ 0771-2428824/2426024 /2426212
