The Bailadila range is the hub of iron ore mining in Chhattisgarh. Currently, there are 14 identified iron ore deposits, of which one is Deposit10 located in the Bacheli Complex in Dantewada district. The National Mineral Development Corporation Limited (NMDC) operates this mine spread over an area of 309.34 hectares. In 2014, NDMC, Indias largest iron ore producer, proposed to increase the capacity of the mine from the existing 4.2 metric tonne per annum (MTPA) to 6 MTPA. Consequently, protests erupted after the residents of over 20 villages came together to oppose the expansion. The villagers became fearful of the impact of the mining activities on their agricultural lands, water bodies and forest area, on which they depend for their livelihood. Reportedly, the region is also of religious significance to the majority Gond tribe living in the area. The concerns of the villagers also stem from their experience of mining operations in the surrounding villages. They have alleged that layers of dust settle on agricultural fields and iron ore particles flow into the streams, which affects the soil productivity and contaminates the water bodies. They also claim that the agricultural land is turning infertile due to the red water problem. According to local reports, the tribespeople worry the expansion of the iron ore mine would worsen the water and air pollution and land degradation. The lease area demarcated for the expansion also falls under the Bailadila Reserve Forest, which endangers the rich biodiversity of the region. In December 2015, the villagers united under the banner of Sanyukt Panchayat Jan Sangharsh Samiti to protest against the public hearing that was scheduled to be organised by the nodal office of the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB). A local newspaper reported that the villagers did not receive any communication about the public hearing and that it was being organised at a considerable distance from the affected villages to prevent largescale participation. Following this, the Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan issued a letter demanding cancellation of the public hearing citing discrepancies and misinformation in the EIA report for the proposed expansion. Finally on December 29, the district collector issued a notice to cancel the meeting after continued protests. On November 15, 2016, the administration once again organised a public hearing for the project. This time too, the villagers claimed that they did not get any prior information about the hearing and identified procedural discrepancies in violation of the PESA Act, 1996. They reiterated their concerns about the expansion plan and persistent problems related to pollution and the impact on lands and livelihoods. Subsequently, the village representatives submitted a petition to the CECB and held a meeting with the district collector on November 16 to voice their discontent and demand action. Amidst the opposition, the NMDC published the final Environmental Impact Assessment report in February 2017. According to the report, an action plan was formulated based on the issues raised during the public hearing held in November 2016. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change granted environmental clearance to the project on July 7, 2017. In December 2019, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy extended the mining lease of four deposits, including Deposit10, for another 20 years. The residents of different villages in the Bailadila range, meanwhile, continue to protest.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Opposition against environmental degradation
Complaint against procedural violations
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Urban and Rural
Type of Land
Common
Forest
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
385.44
Type of investment:
Cost of Project
Year of Estimation
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Forest and Scheduled Area Governance Laws, Environmental Laws, Other
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Non-implementation/violation of PESA
Violation of environmental laws
Violation of free prior informed consent
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
No
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
No
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
State Government of Chhattisgarh, Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
National Mineral Development Corporation Limited
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
No
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
National Mineral Development Corporation Limited
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, Sanyukt Panchayat Jan Sangharsh Samiti
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
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