Villagers from Gare Pelma Sector-II coal block zone assemble at Raigarh Collectorate, pressing for swift project rollout.
• Villagers demand early start of Mahagenco coal project, seek jobs, compensation
⭕️ Memorandum submitted to Collector, SP Raigarh
⭕️ Call for healthcare, education, equal rehabilitation
By : Akshay Lahre
Raigarh : A large group of residents from Chhattisgarh’s Tamnar block marched into the Raigarh district headquarters on Wednesday, pressing for the immediate commissioning of the Gare Pelma Sector-II coal block allotted to Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (Mahagenco). Carrying a detailed memorandum, the villagers met Collector and Superintendent of Police Raigarh, voicing concern that prolonged delays had stalled their livelihood prospects and pushed them into uncertainty.
The delegation comprised affected residents from Dholnara, Saraitola, Bhalumara, Kunjimura, Mudagaon, Chitwah, Dolesara, and Pata. They alleged that despite completion of surveys years ago, neither land acquisition nor compensation had commenced. Hopes of employment and rehabilitation, they said, had been reduced to mere assurances.
In their submission, the villagers urged authorities to fast-track the mine’s operationalisation, enabling acquisition, compensation, and resettlement procedures to proceed without further hold-ups. They also demanded priority hiring of local youth in Mahagenco, assured quality schooling, women-focused empowerment schemes, upgraded healthcare infrastructure, and improved civic amenities in the project zone.
Discussions with the Collector saw residents of Dholnara and Dolesara emphasising uniform compensation for all families impacted by the same project. The Collector assured them that compensation disbursal would follow prevailing legal frameworks. On the employment front, he advised qualified applicants to formally apply, pledging to coordinate with the concerned departments. A request for the construction of a dedicated hospital in the affected belt was also placed on record.
The villagers alleged that certain external political entities and non-governmental organisations were deliberately fuelling misinformation to obstruct the project’s progress, directly undermining local development and livelihood opportunities.
Appealing to both the State and district administrations, they insisted that with the project already sanctioned and surveys concluded, there should be no further delay. They called for transparent acquisition, time-bound disbursal of compensation, and generation of sustainable employment avenues for the community.
