In the Raniganj block’s Tirat Panchayat area, villagers from several villages staged protests on Wednesday at three different locations, demanding employment opportunities and addressing various local grievances.
- Sand Mining Protests: The protests began at the Damodar River sandbank, where villagers stopped sand mining operations and transportation. They accused ECL (Eastern Coalfields Limited) of unregulated sand extraction, which disrupted local bathing areas and caused accidents. They demanded local employment in sand loading operations, which they claimed had been replaced by machines.
- Coal Mining Protests at Nimcha Mine: Another group protested at ECL’s Nimcha High Wall Mines, alleging unauthorized land acquisition and coal extraction. They claimed ECL had failed to fulfill its promise of providing jobs to local youth. Villagers threatened to halt coal extraction until their demands were met.
- Protests at Damalia Open Cast Mine: The third protest occurred at the Damalia open-cast coal mine. Villagers demanded road repairs, construction of bypass roads, improvement of water and electricity supply, and local employment in coal loading and storage operations. They opposed transporting coal outside the region.
ECL officials acknowledged the protests and assured that discussions with the villagers would be held to resolve the issues. Production remained suspended in all three locations until further decisions are made.
