Jharsuguda: The Vedanta plant at Bhurkamunda in this district has been deceiving the displaced and people of other affected villages for a long time, a report said.
The accumulated anger among people has forced them to resort to agitation. The company had promised a lot of things to displaced residents of Katikela village but never fulfilled its promises.
The simmering resentment among villagers flared up Wednesday as people staged a sit-in outside the gate no-1 of Vedanta project. The sit-in disrupted coal transportation and traffic on the route.
Badmal police reached the spot and tried to placate the villagers. But the villagers refused to relent. Meanwhile, mediapersons reached the spot and clicked the photographs of the agitation, but were opposed by the Vedanta officials.
Jagmohan Sahu of the company’s corporate social responsibility department was found visibly agitated on seeing the media. He raised objections to the arrival of reporters and tried to drive them away from the site.
He said this is a company area and no mediaperson can enter the place and collect news. Debananda Barik, a social activist, questioned the attitude of Vedanta officials.
He asked when media is deemed the fourth estate of democracy why Vedanta is opposing the media instead of facing them. He wondered why should Vedanta fear the media if it has worked for the displaced and affected villagers and for peripheral development.
He said the company’s avoidance of media speaks volumes about its involvement in illegalities. Sources said Katikela village is about 2.5 km from the Vedanta project.
An ash pond of the firm lies about 100 metres from the village. The ash dumped in the pond flies in the air polluting air and water bodies in the area. Things have come to such a pass that the rivers, creeks, ponds and wells have become contaminated due to the ash.
People consuming the water have been affected by various skin and respiratory diseases. In 2017, over 104 acres of farmland were damaged following a breach on the dyke of an ash pond.
This infuriated the villagers. They demanded relocation as it was not possible for them to live by an ash pond. The company was not interested in relocating the villagers, leading to prolonged agitations by the villagers.
However, at an RPDAC meeting, the company agreed to do so. Vedanta then conducted a survey and provided compensation to 25 per cent of the affected villagers while 75 per cent of people in the village are still deprived of compensation.
The company had initiated the process to identify land for relocation of the villagers. But the initiative was pushed to cold store. Though villagers have been appealing to the company to restart the process, nothing is being done in this regard.
In 2009, the company has encroached upon 81 decimals of land belonging to Lord Jagannath temple. It has been dumping ash on it. After repeated requests, the company had promised to renovate the Jagannath temple and pay compensations for the land it has occupied.
In 2014, the company demolished the temple and started its reconstruction. But the work has been left halfway. The villagers alleged that though they have been repeatedly drawing attention of the company, the latter is paying no heed. After demolition of the temple, the deity has been kept in a club house.
Demanding reconstruction of the temple work, villagers sought compensation for the land. Information and public relations officer of the company Pratyush Jena said officials of the CSR wing have promised the agitating people to meet their demands.
PNN
