Torgatta deadlock continues as tribals refuse to budge in Maharashtra

NAGPUR: The protest by tribals of Gadchiroli and Chhattisgarh against proposed mining projects Damkondvahi and Surjagarh is set to continue for a few more days. On Monday, a naib tehsildar and a local talathi visited the protest site at Torgatta, located at the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border. But they failed to placate the tribals on the 38th day of the protest.
The tribals, under the banners of Damkondvahi bachao Samiti and Surjagarh paramparik Ghotul Samiti, are demanding scrapping of the proposed mining activities in the region. The district administration on Monday sent two junior ranking officials to have a dialogue with the protesters.
The attempt, however, failed with the tribals remaining firm with their demand. They want written assurance from the administration about scrapping of proposed six mining projects in adjoining areas of Surjagarh hillock.
The two officials, despite holding a two-hour talk, failed to break the deadlock. The tribals are demanding that a go ahead shouldn’t be given to any mining project, road development, police station, and mobile tower without prior approval of the concerned gram sabha.
Apart from the proposed Damkondvahi mine, the agitators are also demanding roll back of the tendering process for leasing out six more compartments close to the Surjagarh hillock.
The concerned departments have approved an expansion of the annual mining capacity from three metric tonnes to 10 metric tonnes.
Ex-Zilla Parishad member Sainu Gota, who was part of the talk process, said that with no written assucrances given, the tribals have decided to continue their agitation. “The officials were trying to convince us that we have the option of opposing the projects during the public hearing. But we think that the public hearing should not be held in the first place. The government should cancel the tendering and auctioning process itself,” said Gota.