Key Highlights:
- Villagers in Katia Mauja, Rudia Panchayat, oppose the transfer of 400 Acres of fertile agricultural land to SM Steel & Power Ltd.
- Men and women armed with traditional weapons rallied to the Chandil Subdivision Office, protesting against the administration’s actions.
- Slogans such as “Stop Stealing Tribal Land” and “We Need Food, Not Steel” were raised.
Hundreds of villagers from Katia Mauja, Chandil (District Saraikela Kharsawan), carried traditional weapons and marched in protest against the transfer of fertile agricultural land to SM Steel & Power Limited. They accused the administration of bypassing local Gram Sabha consent in violation of the Fifth Schedule provisions.
The rally started from Chandil Bazaar and Chandil Dam Road, culminating in a demonstration outside the Subdivision Office. Protesters raised slogans condemning the administration’s alleged misuse of Section 49 and demanded an immediate halt to land acquisition.
Village leader Shant Ram Hembram criticized the alleged conspiracy to transfer 400 acres of cultivable land without proper notification to the Gram Sabha. “Our productive land, donated land, and CNT land will not be handed over to any company,” Hembram stated. He also accused land mafias and company representatives of deceiving innocent villagers to acquire land. Prominent community members, including Aghari Majhi, Rasraj Singh Sardar, and Ganapati Singh Sardar, joined the protest.
