Demand for Cancellation of Turga-Bandu Pump Storage Project and Condemning the Undemocratic-Dictatorial Behaviour of the District Administration
On 13.6.2017 the then Purulia District Magistrate released a letter stating that the inhabitants to be affected by the Turga Pump Storage Project had no opposition to land being acquired for the same. He referred to written resolutions of Bagmundy and Ajodhaya Gram Panchayat and Bagmundi Block Development Officer’s in this regard. The referred resolutions presented dated to 20.3.2017 and 23.3.2017 where 10 and 24 individuals were signatories in each. Among these 34 individuals, many were not the inhabitants of the panchayat, but based on their signatures the government had planned to acquire agricultural land of 9 villages, their traditional sites of worship (jaher than) including the revered Marang Buru (hill God) and their sources of livelihood. In 2018 after getting to know about this, the people of Ajodhaya hills came together and started to resist.
As per The Scheduled Tribes (Other Traditional Forest Dwellers) Recognition of Rights Act, 2006, those living in and around the forests have rights over those forest lands and this is legally and constitutionally recognised. As per this Act, for any project to happen in this forest land, more than 50% of the concerned Gram Sabha’s members’ consent is required. This consent needs to be taken by the Panchayat office for all 9 villages only after informing them about all the details of the project. The members of Ranga-Barelhor Gram Sabha itself is 560. Baruawajara-Badhghutu-Dulgubera Gram Sabha has 150 members and Tarpania Gram Sabha 200 members. The number of adult members in the project affected area is a minimum of 2000. By taking the signatures of 10 and 24 members how can the government take away the land, forests , rivers and homes of so many, is something the inhabitants of Ajodhhaya cannot understand. Since the past 5 years they have shared their objections to all State and Central government offices. As a punishment for this there have been innumerable false cases against them and many have been forcefully taken to the police stations and mentally tortured. Is there no rule of law in West Bengal? Can both democracy and democratic movements be crushed here? Or is it because they are Adivasis that this wrong is easily being performed? Forest rights is the innate right of all Adivasi and non-Adivasi communities living in and around forests. Or are forest communities and forests in West Bengal, simply the hunting ground for capitalists like Jindal and JICA ? They can do as they wish with them? These questions have been raised by the movement in Ajodhaya. As a result of this, the Ministry of Environment & Forests and Climate Change , has been forced to state as the first condition in their Forest Clearance (13.10.2022) the settlement of rights as per the FRA. But without caring for this condition , without taking the consent of any Gram Sabha, the State government has issued three tenders (7th,13th and 15th June 2023) for felling of trees and building of the dam. Are then the forest dwellers of West Bengal second-class citizens? They can be oppressed and disrespected as one pleases? This question is left with you as well.
It is not just about Turga, but even on Bandu river, the government is trying to carry out a futile project without taking the Gram Sabha’s consent, and by destroying 400 Ha forests and uprooting 10 villages. A project where more electricity is spent than generated. All these are storage pump projects which can be compared to batteries. For big factories or for the fun of IPL matches when suddenly large amounts of electricity is required , it will be supplied from here by firstly, spending more electricity to release the water stored in the upper dam to the lower dam. For the sake of companies and entertainment, can the people in 19 villages, agricultural lands, irrigation and drinking water facilities , 5000 bighas of forests which are home to elephants, hyenas, leopards and many other animals, a minimum of 5 lakhs trees, many jaher thans, two entire rivers, be sacrificed? Under the garb of claiming to save nature and hidden behind the slogan of ‘Save Green Save Dream’ is actually at work a system to serve capitalism and destroy an entire ecosystem. Is this not so? This is something for you all to think about too.
In Purulia district itself, there are 97,000 people whose villages’ have more than 20% of their forests and livelihoods dependent on forests. All these people are eligible to claim forest rights. In Bankura, Paschim Medinipore, Jhargram and Purulia, there are more than 7 lakhs who are dependent on forests and are rightful claimants of forest rights. Among these there are both Adivasis and non-Adivasis. We would like to question you whether you are willing to let their self-sufficient livelihood systems, their cultures of preserving peace and nature, in other words, their very existence, be played with? Or will you join the Ajodhaya movement and raise slogans with them to stop the Turga and Bandu storage projects? To implement the Forest Right Act?
Birsa Munda had raised the slogan “ Aboha raj ete jana, maharani Raj Tundu jana” (If you want to know about our governance you have to know Maharani Raj Tundu). Let us come together to oppose this undemocratic oppressive Raj and take the path of the ideals respecting nature and culture , to join the strong peoples movement to defeat this greed and lust, and to build a brotherhood of peace and truth. Let us question the Emperors, where are their clothes? Come join the movement to save lives, nature, cultural values and identities.
Cancel Turga and Bandu Pump Storage Projects.
In Solidarity
Prakriti Bachao O Adivasi Bachao Maanch (Save Nature & Save Adivasi Platform)
