Dear Friends, As you are aware, the Government in pursuit of its neo-liberal agenda has embarked on a journey to hand over the country’s valuable natural resources to a few corporates even while destroying the environment & ecology and consistently ignoring the due rights of the people. The Supreme Court order in the Coal-gate case quashing the allotment of all 214 coal blocks allocated since 1993, had given the Government a historic opportunity to reflect on its policies and processes and devise visionary, long-term strategies and policy measures to utilize valuable natural resources in the strategic interests of the nation and the people who own these resources. However, with the recent The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Ordinance 2014, the Government has audaciously moved to nullify the effect of the Supreme Court order thereby unambiguously clarifying its intent to protect narrow corporate interests. The Ordinance not only opens up the coal sector for rapid exploitation by allowing commercial mining and sale, but also attempts to make a mockery of due processes of environment clearance, forest clearances, gram sabha consents etc. While on the one hand, it seeks to restrict the liabilities of all new bidders on grounds of past irregularities, it also introduces numerous anti-people provisions like lower compensation & rehabilitation package and hefty penalties on any opposition to mining projects. It is clear that the Government is willing to sacrifice our valuable natural resources, fragile environment, lives and livelihoods of poor adivasis and farmers at the altar of narrow profits. The recent coal ordinance and other Government moves systematically dilute all pro-people legislations, for corporate benefits. It have a significant impact on Chhattisgarh which is a mineral rich state with a majority of adivasi and dalit with marginal farmer population and a pristine natural environment. To discuss all these issues and to oppose the coal ordinance and protest against the anti-people policies of the Government, Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan is organizing a state level “sammelan” on 23rd December 2014 at Bilaspur. The “sammelan” would cover the issues of coal mining including all the various aspects viz. mine allocation, coal ordinance, displacement, pollution, environmental impact, labour rights and other related issues. The “Sammelan” would bring together participants from various peoples’ movements, trade unions, workers’ organizations, etc. engaged in Chhattisgarh and would plan to cover the following: Discuss the holistic impact of coal mining Impact on the ecology, environment, biodiversity and wildlife Implications on the life and livelihood of the adivasis & other forest dwellers Impact on increasing pollution levels in the vicinity mine areas as well as broader impact on the ecosystem Highlight the issues of flouting of norms, mine workers’ rights and violation of human rights by existing coal mines and end-use industries Showcase the current status and strength of people’s movements across Chhattisgarh Discuss and disseminate information on the coal ordinance and implications Highlight the changes made / being proposed to other people friendly legislations viz. Forest Rights Act, Land Acquisition Act, Environment Protection and Conservation acts, etc. Discuss and develop peoples’ policy for coal mining Discuss strategies for organizing peoples’ struggle and opposing Government’s moves to bring in anti-people Coal Ordinance and diluting other people-friendly legislations The details of the event are as follows: Date: 23rd December 2014 Time: 11 AM onwards Venue: TRIVENI BHAWAN, VYAPAR VIHAR BILASPUR If government brings a bill in Parliament and passes it, then the Sammelan will plan a national resistance. We solicit your enthusiastic support and participation for the event to make it a grand success and act as an important milestone in the peoples’ struggle for recognition of their rights and protecting their land, environment, life and livelihoods. With support and solidarity, Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 10:46:15 +0000