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Protest at Hazaribag coal dumpyard intensifies

More than 10,000 villagers of Bahera in Hazaribag launched an indefinite agitation in support of their demand to open the Bahera coal dumpyard on Sunday.

It was shut down on April 11, 2012 by the then deputy commissioner Manis Ranjan on the grounds of maintaining law and order as also to avoid direct confrontation between a group of protestors led by Hazaribag MP Yashwant Sinha and Bahera dumpyard committee led by a powerful group headed by Shivlal Mahto, president of the committee way way back in April 2012. Sinha was leading an agitation under the aegis of the Gramin Vishsthapit Morcha.

It may be mentioned here that the Bahera dumpyard is being headed by JVM(P) leader Shivlal Mahto, who is spearheading the ongoing agitation against the closure of the dumpyard to provide alternative employment to villagers, who lost their lands due to acquisition for coal mining by CCL, such that they are allowed to earn their livelihood by loading coal for transportation from this dumpyard.

But ever since this dump was closed in April, the other group has been demanding that another coal dump be opened at Phusri village under the leadership of Sinha, to provide employment to villagers belonging to the Gramin Visthapit Morcha. This proposition was outright rejected by CCL general manager of Hazaribag area on the ground that since there is a Bahera coal dump, which is also functioning since 1990 there is no possibility of opening another coal dump in the Tapin South.

When after repeated demand the Baher coal dump yard labourers went on indefinite agitation which have paralysed the transportation of coal from Kedla,Charhi and Tapin to other parts of India have been paralysed. Considering this for normalizing the situation The General manager of Hazaribag Area of CCL have written an letter to the SDO ,Hazaribag Rajeev Ranjan who is monitoring the law zand order situation at colliery site to order immediate opening of Bahera coal dumyard at Bahera with immediately which will ulitimately end the agitatatation only yesterday(7th Dec). As the Bahera Coal dumpyard committee along with 10,000 loaders have given an ultimatum to the District administration that if the dampyard are not opened by 9th December, they(agitators) will paralyse the functioning of the CCL's GM's office.The GM Prakash Chandra urged the District administration to step in immediately so that agitation can be stopped.

Meanwhile when contacted by this Correpondent Rajiv Ranjan ,SDO ,Hazaribag told this correspondent that on the 9th of December this matter will be taken up at a meeting with the DC and SP ,Hazaribag how to control the agitation of the Coalyard workers at Charhi.

Source: The Time of India