From: rifat_at@yahoo.co.in
To: arkitectindia@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 7:23 PM

Subject: [arkitectindia]

Urgent Action Alert

Extend Support to the People Protesting Against Sponge Iron Industry  in Chauranga, Chhattisgarh  

From February 1, 2008 the sponge iron industry will start operating in Chauranga.  After being on gaurd for almost a month on the roads of village people of Chauranga have not been heared by the State Government. People have been protesting against this industry from 2005.
 
 In 2006, due to opposing the Sponge and Power Ltd. in their village, 23 poor people from Chauranga, based in Raipur District of Chhattisgarh state, were convicted under the murder charges of industrial goons belonging to the same village. The session court awarded life term imprisonment irrespective of the fact that it was a mishap for which most of the people in Chauranga agree. The villagers sentenced are very poor of which majority are women aged 45 and more.   These people cannot even afford to file a case in higher court against the session court verdict.

Today, when the local people of Chauranga are still recovering from the shock of 23 fellow villagers getting the life sentence, another blow to their lives came from Mr. Suresh Kumar Agarwal, owner of Sponge and Power Ltd.   In a press conference held on 22nd December, 2007 , he declared that the High Court of Chhattisgarh has given a 'No Objection' to re-open the plant. He also declared that the 90% work on the factory costing Rs. 9 crore is almost over. He blatantly stated that the villagers of Chauranga are very keen in re-opening this factory and they are in support.

There has been a repeated attempt from the factory owner to re-open the plant. In August 2007, there was news about the factory opening and some construction work being done in the factory in response to which villagers got together and filed a complaint at the police station. The police intervened in the matter and stopped work on the factory site. The villagers, in order to prevent a recurrence of such event, submitted a memorandum to the District Collector and Police Commissioner and asked them to look into the matter.

Noteworthy is the fact that previously on 9th May, 2005, after clash between villagers and factory goons, a special Gram Sabha was called and an agreement was made between the villagers and Mr. Suresh Kumar Agarwal with a clause that he will never open the factory and also it will be moved to some other location.

But on 12th December, 2007 work started again on the factory site by 50-60 labourers brought by the industrialist. The people of Chauranga are feeling cheated by the State and also by the industrialist. Recently on 22nd December they held a Gram Sabha meeting to decide about the matter and anonymously a resolution was passed against re-opening of the factory.

Demanding the closure of sponge iron factory in Chouranga around 700 people gathered at Simga (Tehsil headquarter) on 04th January 2008. They all marched together with slogan of "no more factory on agriculture land" and "stop polluting our lives", from town police station to Tehsil office. People from adjacent villages under the banner of Nadi Ghati Morcha & Chhattisgarh   Mukti Morcha handed over a memorandum addressed to Governor to the SDM (Bhatapara), demanding forfeiting of company's effort of reopening closed factory. The public meeting was addressed by representatives of various people's organization and farmer's organisation. They all called in one voice to close down the Chouranga factory from village land.
 
The villagers of Chauranga have been protesting for this whole month but apathy of the state government to the anguish of people is maintained. With no response from the state government the villagers again do not want to resort to violence but they have decided to sit on indefinite dharna in their village from tomorrow after meeting the Chief Minsiter of the state.
 
Friends, Chauranga movement is a very crucial people's movement for  Chhattisgarh which is anyway undergoing enormous human rights violations. Previously, it was this village which had dared to set an example for the state that any unwanted project could not be forced on fertile agricultural lands and people are ready to even sacrifce their life. Today, any setback to this struggle will have larger impact on the other people's movement in the state.
 
We urge you to urgently extend your support to this struggle by sending your appeals and protests to the Cheif Minister , Governor, Commerce and Industries Minister and Raipur District Collector to-
 
 
1. Pressurize the State government to not allow the upcoming factory in Chauranga and respect the sacrifice people have already given for the cause.  
2. Demand accountability from the Government for denying Gram Sabha's   decision and overlooking constitutional legitimacy given to Local Self Governance   
  
In Solidarity,
 
Ganesh Ram  Verma                    

      Sarpanch, Village Chourenga                            

Contact- 09926948528           

 

 
 
Addresses:
1. Dr. Raman Singh
Chief Minister,
Chhattisgarh State,
Email: cmcg@nic.in,
Phone and Fax: 0771 â€" 2221000/ 0771- 2221001/ 0771 â€" 2331001
 
     2. H.E. Shri E.S.L. Narsimhan
Governor, Chhattisgarh State
E-mail: governor.cg@nic.in
Phone Nos.+ 91 - 771 - 2331101/+ 91 - 771 - 2331106/+ 91 - 771 - 2331104
 
3. Mr. Rajesh Munat,
Commerce and Industry Minister,
Government of Chhattisgarh
Email: pwmin.cg@nic.in
Phone and Fax: 0771-2221104/0772- 2535423, 2236100
 
4. Vikassheel,
District collector, Raipur

raipur.cg@nic.in

Phone - 09425256606/ 0771-2428824/2426024 /2426212

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