Economist, eight others held in Bengal for protests against Deocha Pachami coal project

Rights, environmental activists have raised questions on the proposed plan that is likely to displace 5,000 families

Prasenjit Bose, an economist and activist based in Kolkata, and eight others were arrested earlier this week from the Deocha Pachami coal project area in the Md. Bazar block in West Bengal’s Birbhum district. The nine persons— four from Kolkata and five locals from Md. Bazar — have been booked for unlawful assembly under Section 149 and non-bailable charges of Section 333 of voluntarily causing hurt to public servant in discharge of his duties of the Indian Penal Code. 

The First Information Report (FIR) lodged by sub-inspector Bandhan Deogharia has stated that the accused under the banner of Birbhum Jomi Jeeban Jeevika O Prakiti Bachao Mahasabha on February 20 held a meeting at the Dewangunj playground “to foment people, particularly Adivasi people having lands and dwellings under the Deocha Pachami Dewangunj Horisinga Coal area not to give their land for the said project and also not to allow the project to start”. 

 In the FIR, the police officer said the mob was declared unlawful and he requested them to disperse, but they did not pay “any heed and assaulted me and other officers”. They are under judicial custody and will be produced before a court in Birbhum on Thursday. Under the banner of the Birbhum Mahasabha, a protest rally was organised on February 20 to demand scrapping of the proposed coal mine. The activists said a “misleading propaganda has started that the villagers are willing to give land voluntarily” 

“It is unfortunate that instead of engaging with people and their grievances and issues against the coal mine project, the administration is imprisoning tribal women and activists on false and serious charges. Hope better sense prevails,” said Albeena Shakil, wife of Mr. Prasenjit Bose. 

Civil right and environmental activists have raised questions on the proposed coal mining project that is likely to displace 5,000 families and this is the first major arrest of activists. The arrest comes at a time when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that there will be no forcible acquisition of land for the project. 

The lawyer representing the nine arrested, Somnath Mukherjee, said that since it was a sensitive matter the police were trying to keep those arrested behind the bar for the maximum period possible. 

 Ms. Banerjee on Wednesday once again emphasised the necessity of the project and said it would create about one lakh jobs. During the day, the Chief Minister handed over cheques and appointment letters to land losers as part of the relief and rehabilitation package announced by the State Government. On February 21, the State Government had revised the relief and rehabilitation project making it more lucrative for land losers. Ms. Banerjee said that out of 4,300 families who hold the land in the proposed project area about 1,600 families had decided to give up their land willingly.