om e 's Ali a - Land ss De elo en - Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, India Office

48
Women’s Alienation
Takadaguda, Sirisguda, Kumhali,
Chhindgaon villages to be acquired
for the project, out of which 1861
ha. was private lands of farmers and
300 ha. was government land. Madia
tribes are the main community of
the area with agriculture as the main
source of livelihood. The area has
a plain and fertile land. In all, 225
houses of the villagers were expected
to be affected by the project. Villagers
started protest against acquisition
of land in November 2005. Tata
announced its rehabilitation package
for the project in December on March
4, 2006. Overall, 2500 people from
10 affected villages protested against
the proposed plant and forced land
acquisition. When political leaders
tried to talk to villagers in favour of
the plant they were opposed and
forced to withdraw. In April 2006
District Rehabilitation Committee
passed a unanimous resolution to
support the proposed plant and
undertook several visits to the
affected villages to mobilise people in
favour of the proposed plant. Bastar
Hit Sarankshan Samiti was formed
to support the proposed steel plant.
Nagrik Samitis were organised in all
the 10 villages. These Samitis started
convincing people in the affected
villages to support the plant and
forced them for consent for land
acquisition.
On April 12, 2006 farmers of 10
affected villages got mobilised under
the banner of Sanyukta Sangharsa
Samiti to protest the proposed plant,
and declared, “We will not give up
our land under any circumstances.”
District administration announced
a special meeting of gram sabhas
on May 10, 2006 to discuss the
proposed project and seek approval
of the gram sabha. Information
on rehabilitation package
Rs. 50000/75000/100000 per acre
of land according to the type of land
was also given. Employment or cash
payment equivalent to 500 days of
agriculture wage to one member
of the family, whose more than 75
per cent of land has been affected
was offered. Villagers rejected this
package and proposed an alternative
package. As villagers refused to
give their land and other lands of
the panchayats the gram sabhas
were cancelled. A gram sabha
meeting was again convened on
June 7, 2006, but cancelled due to
resistance from the villagers. It was
announced for a third time on July
20, 2006, and a tripartite discussion