Villagers want deputy sarpanch out for issuing bogus NOC to mining deputy

CHANDRAPUR: Villagers affected by the Bellora-Jena-Takli coal mine of Arbindo Reality Infrastructure Private Ltd (ARIPL) have alleged that a bogus no-objection certificate was issued to the company by deputy sarpanch of Takli gram panchayat. Terming it as fraud and forgery, the gram panchayat office bearers have passed a no-confidence motion against deputy sarpanch Pravin Bandurkar, who is absconding, in the monthly gram sabha on Tuesday.
ARIPL had obtained leases of Takli-Jena-Bellora (North) and Takli-Jena-Bellora (South) coal blocks in Bhadrawati taluka. The proposed mine spread over 936 hectares belonging to 11 villages under six gram panchayats. The company, however, already has possession of 128 hectares and is keen on starting excavation of coal in its land. The project affected villages are opposed to the mining operations, unless the company starts acquiring their land at the rate of Rs50 lakh per acre and addresses issues like rehabilitation and employment.
While the tug-of-war between the villagers and company is underway, ARIPL officials, during recent protests by villagers, shocked the protestors by producing a no-objection certificate for excavation of coal issued by Takli gram panchayat. On verification, it came to fore that the Takli gram panchayat deputy sarpanch Pravin Bandurkar forged a no-objection certificate without passing of any proposal or consent of the gram panchayat governing body, and handed it over to the company. In fact, the signature of sarpanch and village secretary on the certificate was forged, the gram panchayat has alleged.
Irked villagers launched a hunt for deputy sarpanch Bandurkar, but he had absconded fearing the wrath of the villagers. The matter of betrayal by deputy sarpanch Bandurkar was taken up in the monthly gram sabha on Tuesday. Sarpanch Sangeeta Deharkar informed the villagers that her as well as the village secretary’s signature on the certificate are forged. Irked gram panchayat members proposed a no-confidence motion against deputy sarpanch Bandurkar in the meeting and it was passed unanimously.
Later, a complaint was filed with block development officer of Bhadrawati Panchayat Samiti, informing about the issuance of bogus no-objection certificate and passing of no-confidence motion against deputy sarpanch Bandurkar. The gram panchayat is going to file a formal police complaint in this regard, villagers said.