Karnataka Emta Coal Mines Limited (KECML) is a subsidiary company of Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL), which has a partnership with the Eastern Minerals & Trading Agency (EMTA), West Bengal. In 2008, KECL acquired 1457.2 hectares of land spread across seven villages in Chandrapur district for coal mining. The project was estimated to affect 1,519 families.
In August 2014, the Supreme Court cancelled all allocations of private captive mines across India after the Coalgate Scam. Even as coal blocks were reallocated to KPCL from April 1, 2015, the earlier de-allocation of coal blocks had negated the agreement between KPCL and EMTA, which led to the dissolution of the joint venture KECML. This rendered jobless 158 project-affected workers, 51 local workers and 208 employees of EMTA. KPCL, which assumed full control over the erstwhile EMTA coal mine after the reallocation of coal blocks, attempted to sack over 400 workers of the mine.
However, the affected people allege that they have not been provided proper rehabilitation nor they have been given the promised jobs after their land was acquired. They say the jobs provided were contractual in nature, with wages ranging from INR 4,000-8,000 per month.
According to local activists, KECML is supposed to eventually resettle the entire village, but no proposal for resettlement has been put forward by the company yet. With no agricultural land, residents are struggling to earn a livelihood.
The Rashtriya Koyla Kamgar Sangharsh Manch filed a plea with the assistant labour commissioner against KECML and warned of a strong agitation if it did not reinstate the workers.
The mine remained abandoned in 2020 as KPCL was unable to find a new operator even as the affected people await rehabilitation.
The mining activity was restarted in 2021. However, a media report suggest that the rehabilitation work, including employment to displaced families and allotment of alternative land, has not been fulfilled even until November 2024. The pending wages from 2014 to 2020 have also not been paid to the workers.
Locals allege that their losses outweighed the benefits from the mining activities so far as the delay has dashed villagers' hopes of jobs and cash payments for their barren fields. In addition, the villagers are left with no other option but to cling on to the promised compensation and rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, KPCL officials said they were working on options for the housing, and compensation for loss of land due to mining in Chichordi was being processed.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for rehabilitation
Demand for promised compensation
Demand for employment
Opposition against environmental degradation
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common and Private
Forest and Non-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
Project stalled
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Residential area
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
No
Source/Reference
<https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/five-years-on-coal-mines-in-vidarbha-finding-no-takers/articleshow/74107418.cms>
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
524
Type of investment:
Cost of Project
Year of Estimation
2008
Has the Conflict Ended?
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Land Acquisition Laws, Forest and Scheduled Area Governance Laws, Other, Central/State Government Policy
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.
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-payment of compensation/promised compensation
Non-rehabilitation of displaced people
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:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Ministry of Coal
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Karnataka Power 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:
Eastern Minerals & Trading Agency
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Gond, Banjara communities
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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