Hazaribagh ki Jung: Kyun Hazaaron Log Adani ke Coal Empire ke Khilaaf Khade Ho Rahe Hain
Jharkhand ke coal-rich landscape mein, rural resistance ki ek aitihasik ladai ab boiling point par pahunch chuki hai. 11 November 2025 ko, Hazaribagh ke Barkagaon Block ka Harli village is region ke sabse bade mahapanchayats mein se ek ka epicenter bana. 10,000 se zyada residents, jismein Adivasis, Dalits, Muslims, aur Other Backward Classes shaamil the, multi-billion-dollar open-cast coal mining projects ko saaf aur seedhe taur par kharij karne ke liye wahan ikatha hue. Open-cast mining ek tabaah karne wala tarika hai jahan zameen mein bade-bade gaddhe khode jaate hain, jo surface par maujood sab kuch khatam kar dete hain. Odisha mein corporate mining ke khilaaf likhe gaye revolutionary tribal geet gaate hue, bheed ne "Adani Go Back" ke placards haath mein liye aur apni dharti maa ki raksha karne ki kasam khayi. Yeh bada ikath (assembly) Adani Enterprises, National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), aur dusre corporate mining giants ke khilaaf pichle paanch saal se chal rahi ladai ka ek bada climax hai.
Adani aur NTPC azaad Bharat ki East India Company hain. Jis tarah hamare purvaj angrezon se lad rahe the, aaj hume bhi waisa hi lag raha hai. Hume na toh State government se koi support hai aur na hi Central government se. Hamare peeche koi nahi hai. Aur yeh sab hamari zameen humse chheenne ki koshish kar rahe hain. Hum bebas feel kar rahe hain. Unhone logon se naukriyon, ghar aur compensation ke jhoothe vaade kiye hain.— Maktoob
Is region mein teen bade coal blocks hain, jabki total saat coal blocks hain. Government, companies ke pressure mein aakar, jhoothi gram sabhas karwati rehti hai, aur log iska virodh karte hain. Iska matlab hai ki government sirf company ki sun rahi hai. Isliye humne decide kiya ki is baar, hum apna jawab dene ke liye khud ek mahapanchayat bulayenge.— Maktoob
Harli se Maktoob ki reporting ke mutabik, protesters ne bataya ki compensation rates bohot hi kam hain, aur unhe darr hai ki corporations ke aane se local religious aur community ka bhaichara toot jayega. Harli ki resident Savanti Kumari ne bataya ki NTPC ne pehle bhi pados ke towns mein logon ko harass aur displace kiya tha, jisse unka environment tabaah ho gaya. Activists ne law enforcement par yeh aaroop bhi lagaya ki unhe chup karane aur unke peaceful protests ko darane ke liye unpar jhoothi police complaints, jise locally First Information Reports (FIRs) kaha jata hai, darj ki ja rahi hain.
Is community network ke scale ne corporate executives ko hairan kar diya hai. Is bade gathering se kuch hi mahine pehle, 28 March 2025 ko, Adani Group ke Chairman Gautam Adani aur Managing Director Rajesh Adani ek unscheduled meeting ke liye Ranchi pahunche. Unhone Jharkhand ke Chief Minister Hemant Soren ke residential office par do ghante se zyada waqt bitaya. Is closed-door meeting mein Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari aur Additional Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar jaise high-ranking bureaucrats maujood the. Gautam Adani ne Chief Minister Soren se request ki ki Hazaribagh ke Gondalpura Coal Block ko delay karne wale purane disputes aur administrative roadblocks ko solve kiya jaye. Deal ko attractive banane ke liye, Adani Group ne Jharkhand ke hisse ki 400-megawatt electricity apne dusre Indian operations se supply karne ka offer diya, kyunki group ka Godda mein chal raha bada 1,600-megawatt power plant filhal apni lagbhag saari electricity directly padosi desh Bangladesh ko export karta hai.
Zameen Par Sangharsh: Kisaanon Ne Officers Ko Bhaagne Par Majboor Kiya
Lekin political class ke liye in roadblocks ko hatana aasan nahi hai, kyunki gaon ke logon ne zameen par land acquisition ki machinery ko poori tarah rok diya hai. 22 December 2024 ko, hasiiya (sickles) aur lathiyon se lais hazaaron villagers ne Ambajit mein ek public meeting ki taraf march kiya. Government ne wahan coal mining ke liye 45 hectares agricultural farmland NTPC ko transfer karne par charcha karne ke liye ek public hearing organize ki thi. Peeche hatne ke bajay, bheed ne venue par kabza kar liya, chairs aur tables phek diye, aur seedhe regional officers ka samna kiya. Unhone dalil di ki jis zameen ko target kiya ja raha hai wo irrigated, multi-crop farmland hai jo saal bhar unke parivaaron ka pet paalti hai. Is standoff ke dauran, ek local landowner Chaita Mahto ne ek independent correspondent ke saath apna dukh shaza kiya.
Kya aapne bkabhi itni badi muli dekhi hai? Haan, meri zameen ke das feet neeche koyla hai, lekin main apni crops par koi fertiliser nahi dalta. Mere do bete educated hain aur shehron mein kaam karte hain, lekin harvest ke time wo chutti lekar hamare khetom mein kaam karne aate hain. Main apni do-teen acre zameen se saal mein aasaani se do lakh ke aaspas (lagbhag US $2500) kama leta hoon.— Adani Watch
Naye appointed local Circle Officer Manoj Kumar ne ghanton tak cancellation order sign karne se mana kar diya, jabki gusse mein aayi mahilaon ne unhe gher liya aur unka virodh kiya. Zilla Parishad ke ek leader ne mazaak udate hue unhe khane ke liye koyla offer kiya, aur pucha ki kya koyla us chawal aur ganne ki jagah le sakta hai jo abhi unki mitti ugati hai. Shaam lagbhag 4:00 baje, bhaari hungame aur phone calls ke baad, officer ne aakhirkar official cancellation document par sign kar diye. Is jeet ka josh February 2025 ki shuruaat tak barkarar raha, jab Gondalpura ke logon ne ek indefinite sit-in (dharna) kiya aur ek aur public hearing ko cancel karane ke liye Chandaul village tak march kiya, jabki kuch jagah par aisi jhadap hui jahan gusse mein aaye villagers ne bandhi banaye gaye corporate employees ko chhudane ke liye police ko aana pada.
Badam Mein Communal Harmony aur Police Ki Warning Shots
Villagers ka yeh pakka irada pehle hui zyada violent jhadapon ki yaadon se aata hai. 4 October 2024 ko, paas ke BGR coal company ke site office par ek badi jhadap hui thi. Bina permission ke ho rahi mining ki taiyariyon se gussaye villagers ne metal barricades tod diye aur company aur police ki gadiyon ke sheeshe fod diye. Mahilaon aur purushon ki ek badi bheed ka samna karte hue, local police ne protesters ko bhagane ke liye hawa mein firings ki. Is protest mein kisi bhi journalist ko nahi bulaya gaya tha kyunki activists ko pata tha ki mining developments ke virodh mein direct action ho sakta hai.
Theek do hafte pehle, 21 September 2024 ko, lagbhag 500 log Badam ke football ground mein ek organizational meeting ke liye ikatha hue the. Is meeting ne October ke direct action ki buniyaad rakhi, jismein Gondalpura, Balodar, Galli, Harli, aur pados ke dharon (hamlets) ke representatives shaamil hue. Solidarity ki zaroorat par jor dete hue, Hindu aur Muslim kisaanon ne sankuchit seyasat (partisan politics) aur corporate handouts ko ignore karne ka sankalp liya. Attendees ne corporate social-responsibility ke gifts, jaise dawaiyan, blankets, aur school umbrellas ka poori tarah boycott karne par sahmati jatayi. Speakers ne is baat par zor diya ki agar Rungta Mines, NTPC, aur Jindal ko allot kiye gaye coal blocks mein se kisi ne bhi kaam shuru kiya, toh aaspas ki aapas mein judi nadiyaan sookh jayengi, jisse is area ke sabhi 76 villages tabaah ho jayenge.
Yeh kaisi haalat hai ki aap apni zameen sarkar ko de dete hain aur kisi private company se naukri ke liye bheekh maangte hain? Aapko samajhna hoga ki yeh 'ghulami' (slavery) hai. Wo Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra jaise bahar ke logon ko naukriyan denge, aur aap unhe baar-baar 'namaskaar sir' ya 'adaab sir' karte rahenge.— Adani Watch
Hamare gaon mein Buddha ki moortiyan hain. Kya aap hazaaron saal ke itihaas (history) ka sauda sirf tees saal ki coal mining ke liye karna chahte hain?— Adani Watch
Local Farmlands, Paani, aur Heritage Ko Khatra
Is bade kisaan andolan ka main focal point Gondalpura coal block hai, jise government aur Adani aksar galat tarike se "Gondulpara" likhte hain. Saal 2000 mein Bihar se alag hue Jharkhand ki population mein tribal communities (28%) aur scheduled castes (12%) ki badi taadad hai, jismein se zyadatar log traditional multi-crop farming par nirbhar hain. Proposed open-cast mine Hazaribagh District mein hai aur iska direct target 513 hectares zameen hai. Ismein se 219 hectares se zyada natural forest hai, 70 acres gaon ke purvajon ki common zameen hai jise Gair Majurwa kaha jata hai, aur baaki hissa private farmlands ka hai. Agar yeh project aage badhta hai, toh Gali, Phulang, Hahe, aur Gondalpura jaise shaant gaon poori tarah tabaah ho jayenge, jisse 500 se 1,950 kisaan parivaar displace ho jayenge.
Environment ke lihaj se, yeh nuksaan kabhi theek nahi kiya ja sakega. Adani ki environmental clearance files se pata chalta hai ki yeh open-cast mine apne 32-year lifespan mein 229 million tonnes solid waste generate karegi. Is kachre ke bade-bade dher lagaye jayenge, jiske liye 103 hectares alag se zameen ki zaroorat hogi aur isse toxic runoff behne ka khatra hoga. Corporate plan mein lakhon gallons groundwater ko pump karke nikalna aur monsoon ke dauran main mining pit ko baadh se bachane ke liye Damodar River ki ek important sahayak nadi, Badmahi River ka rasta badalne ke liye baandh (embankments) banana shaamil hai. Yeh ecosystem Isko ancient cultural-heritage site se mahaz paanch kilometer door hai, jahan prehistoric caves, rock art, aur purane archaeological overhangs maujood hain.
Yeh environmental cost aur bhi zyada dukhdayi hai kyunki is field ko pehle protect kiya gaya tha. 2010 mein, Minister Jairam Ramesh ke under central Ministry of Environment and Forests ne Gondalpura ko "Category A" ya "No-Go" list mein rakha tha. Is policy ke mutabik un blocks ko, jahan 10% se zyada weighted forest cover ya 30% gross forest cover tha, ecologically bohot valuable mana gaya jise mine nahi kiya ja sakta. Ramesh ne argue kiya tha ki in delicate regions mein open-cast mining se biodiversity ko aisa permanent nuksaan hoga jise mining ke baad lagaye gaye aam ped-paudhe kabhi theek nahi kar payenge. Lekin, coal industry ke bhaari pressure ke baad No-Go list ko thande baste mein daal diya gaya, aur November 2020 mein is block ko provisional auction ke liye la diya gaya. Environics Trust ke Sreedhar Ramamurthi jaise environmental experts point out karte hain ki Adani purane 2009 ke regulatory approvals par rely kar raha hai jo shuruat mein purane state-joint ventures ko diye gaye the.
Yahan ke zyadatar residents kisaan hain jo saal bhar dhaan (paddy) aur aaloo, tamatar aur matar jaise sabziyaan ugate hain. Agar hamari zameen chheen li gayi, toh hamara bhi wahi haal hoga jo kuch saal pehle Barkagaon mein NTPC ke coal mining projects (Pakri-Barwadih aur Chatti-Bariatu coal projects) se displace hue parivaaron ka hua tha.— The Times of India
Unyielding Resistance Ka Ek Demilitarized Front
Jab se Adani ne 2020 mein license jeeta hai, tab se local residents ne corporate representatives aur state authorities dono ko maat di hai. June 2021 mein, jab company ke managers Sunil Kumar aur Krishab Shulka ne is region mein enter karne ki koshish ki, toh local leaders ne saaf keh diya ki wo apni mitti kabhi nahi denge. June 2022 tak, jab experimental bores khudne ke liye Gondalpura mein trucks aur mazdoor pahunche, toh unhe alert kisaanon ki ek deewar ne rok diya aur wapas bhej diya. Jab district administration dwara hire kiye gaye ek development bank Nabard ne September 2021 mein social impact surveys conduct karne ke liye notification nikaala, toh Gram Sabha ne is assessment ko formally reject kar diya.
October 2022 mein, corporate aur district authorities ne aakhiri waqt par schedule badalkar zabardasti pseudo-consent meetings karwane ki koshish ki. 10 October 2022 ko, jab Balodar mein achanak subah 11:00 baje ki meeting ka time badalkar subah 7:00 baje kar diya gaya, toh villagers ne turant action liya aur company ki gaadiyon ko aane se rokne ke liye regional bridge ko poori tarah block kar diya. Aise hi blocks 12 October ko Gali mein aur 18 October ko Gondalpura mein kiye gaye, jahan hazaaron mahilaon ne borders par khade hokar "Jal, Jangal, Zameen Bachao" ke naare lagaye.
Project ka virodh karne ke liye locals ne teen Gram Sabha public hearings ko rok diya. Yeh protests shanti-purna the aur Gandhian ideals par chal rahe the. Company officials ko wapas lautna pada. Hamara movement chal raha hai, har hafte har village mein hum khud ko organize kar rahe hain. Hum communities ko ikatha rakhne ke liye baithaks [informal talks] ka sahara le rahe hain.— The Wire
Community defense ke is standard ki jadein bohot gehri hain. 2006 mein, jab yahi block Tenughat Vidyut Nigam Limited (TVNL) aur Damodar Valley Corporation ko allot kiya gaya tha, toh 1970s se activist rahe Parmeswar Mahto jaise local leaders ne lagatar community defense organize kiya. Former District Collector Manish Ranjan ke visit ke dauran, Mahto ne ek haath mein koyla aur dusre haath mein organic ganne ka gud (jaggery) pakad kar unhe challenge kiya ki wo chunen ki khane ke liye kya behtar hai. Ek local headman Shrikant Nirala ne yaad kiya ki 2012 mein ek aisi hi ek-tarfa public hearing ke dauran, jahan locals ko darane ke liye military police ka dher lagaya gaya tha, residents ne andar ghuskar state officials ke panel ke liye rakhi gayi seats par kabza kar liya tha.
Maine ek haath mein koyla liya aur dusre mein thoda gud. Maine dono haath aage badhaye aur pucha, aap kya khana pasand karenge – koyla ya gud? Sir, aap displacement ki baat karte hain. Aap yahan Hazaribagh mein appointed hain. Agar aapka transfer kahin aur ho jaye, toh kya aap quarter dekhne jayenge, ya bas apna saaman pack karke nikal jayenge?— The Wire Science
Hazaribagh ka yeh paanch saal ka standoff rural India mein corporate expansion ki moral limits ko dikhata hai. Gondalpura, Gali, aur Badam ke kisaanon ke liye, unki upjau mitti ganne, aaloo aur dhaan ki bhaari paidavaar deti hai, jo unhe ek comfortable aur self-sustaining livelihood guarantee karti hai. Hazaaron saal ke ancestral history, sacred Buddhist archaeological relics, aur pristine agricultural fields ko tees saal ke polluting open-pit coal extraction ke liye sauda karna ek aisa samjhauta hai jise karne se unhone saaf mana kar diya hai. Ekjut hokar aur mazboot community solidarity ke saath khade hokar, yeh kisaan saabit kar rahe hain ki logo ki taaqat (people's power) kisi corporate giant ko unki zindagi tabaah karne se kamyabi se rok sakti hai.