Law violated while acquiring tribal land for power plant:CPI-M

Bhopal, Feb 8 (PTI) Communist Party of India (Marxist)today alleged that all rules and regulations were beingviolated in Madhya Pradesh to acquire land from tribals atJaithari in Anuppur district for setting up a power project.

After breaching laws meant to protect the interest of thetribals and using police force to hand over tribal land to aprivate company for setting up a thermal power project, thetribals there were being driven away by the DistrictAdministration, CPI-M leader, Badal Saroj said in a statementhere.

The District Collector has also issued a notice to externa tribal leader, Avdesh Manjhi, who is fighting for theircause, Saroj said adding that charges against Manjhi are onlythat of holding processions and agitations and none of themhave come up before the court so far.

Last month, some policemen misbehaved with a woman andterrorised a local leader at Amgawan village in this areaafter which thousands of villagers cornered them, Saroj said.

Later, the Collector and Superintendent of Police hadapologised in writing and announced stoppage of constructionwork of the company, he said.

The CPI-M leader has now urged the Madhya Pradesh ChiefMinister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, to cancel the landacquisition order and shift the plant from there.