tension in Bastar over gram sabha on Tata plant

Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, Feb 23 (UNI) A heavy police force was deployed today in six villages of tribal Bastar district's Londiguda block after villagers announced convening of a gram sabha to discuss land acquisition for a proposed integrated plant to be set up by Tata Steel.

While six village panchayats made the announcement regarding tomorrow's event, the district administration declared the proposed meeting as illegal and also issued notices pointing out that it would be in contravention of the Panchayati Raj Act's provisions.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Neelkanth Tekkam, in his notice, pointed out that the sabha had already met in July and August last year to discuss the acquisition. The sabha had no logic and legal sanctity, the notice added.

Meanwhile, state Chief Secretary Shivraj Singh told UNI in the state capital Raipur that the police were deployed to avoid any confrontation between those supporting and opposing the plant.

Pointing out that the region's youth favoured the plant while a few others were opposed to it, he said that the sabha had been consulted on the acquisition issue, as per the requirement under law.

Communist Party of India National Executive Member Chittaranjan Bakshi told mediapersons here that the villagers put forward a 13-point charter of demands at the sabha meeting held earlier at Londiguda. ''The sabha did not agree to acquisition as was being propagated,'' he claimed.

Proposed Tata Steel Jan Andolan Sangharsh Samiti President Ramuram Mourya said that the village panchayats of Takraguda, Dagpal, Belar, Badangi, Sirisguda and Badeparoda announced convening of the sabha. He alleged that the administration was trying to obstruct the meeting.

Official sources said that security personnel, including paramilitary forces, were deployed in these villages of Londiguda block this evening reportedly after the panchayats refused to cancel the sabha.

Meanwhile, Bastar's District Collector Ganesh Shankar Mishra and senior police officers are camping at these villages. They were unavailable for comment.

The Tata group is planning to set up a five million tonnes per annum greenfield plant in Bastar region -- one of the most backward and naxalism-affected tribal areas in the country.

The state government is also keen to expedite the process for setting up the plant as it feels that the plant would help generate employment opportunities in the tribal areas, boost economic activity and eventually help contain naxalism.

UNI