Maharashtra
Chak Baranj, Kesurli Kodhali, Somnala, Bonthala villages
,
Baranj Mokasa
,
Chandrapur
Published :
Mar 2017
|
Updated :
Tribal Families Await Rehabilitation after Dissolution of Karnataka EMTA Mining Project in Maharashtra
Reported by
Pravin Mote
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Edited by
Anupa Kujur
Households affected
6173
People affected
2003
Year started
1457
Land area affected
Households affected
6173
People Affected
2003
Year started
1457
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Mining
Reason/Cause of conflict
Coal Mining
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
Sector
Mining
Reason/Cause of conflict
Coal Mining
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
1
Summary

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 deallocation 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 projectaffected 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 4,0008,000 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.
As of February 2020, the mine remains abandoned after KPCL was unable to find a new operator even as the affected people await rehabilitation.

2
Fact Sheet

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

Both

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?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

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):

524

Type of investment:

Cost of Project

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

4
Additional Information

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:

Rashtriya Koyla Kamgar Sangharsh Manch

5
Information on the use of criminal law

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?

Legal Supporting Documents

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Author
Reported by
Pravin Mote
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Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for rehabilitation

Demand for promised compensation

Demand for employment

Opposition against environmental degradation

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

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?

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

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