Dhanbad : City witnessed a unique protest on Monday, when hundreds of displaced villagers went half naked started protest on roads to press for their demand of employment and compensation.
Displaced and their family members including women under the banner of Ghatwar Adiwasi Mahasabha staged daylong dharna at Randhir Verma square.
“Nine thousand villagers were displaced illegally by the government for acquiring land for Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) owned Maithion dam, Panchet Dam and other instillations in Maithon.
Majority of those were not given employment despite court orders,” claimed Ramashraya Singh coordinator of the Mahasabha .
According to Singh, in connivance with DVC officials as well as district administration, 9000 others got employment.
“It was a major anomaly as 9000 fake people got employment on the name of displaced while the real displaced people are still struggling for their rights,” said Singh demanding CBI inquiry on this issue.
Adding further Singh said they (Displaced) were cheated by the DVC as after 34 meetings presided by Deputy Commissioner, no displaced got employment or compensation.
“The Maithan and Panchet DVC acquired 38 thousand acres of land by displacing 15 thousand families of 240 villages of Dhanbad as well as Purulia district under West Bengal.
Even five thousand houses were also acquired by the DVC but so far only five hundred villagers got employment as compensation,” said Singh.
Demanding CBI inquiry on the employment scam, Singh said, two villages including Simpathar under Baliapur police station of Dhanbad and Telkupi village under Raghunathpur police station of Purulia district of West Bengal were badly affected after land acquisition.
Despite repeated appeals from district administration to Chief Minister, they (Displaced) didn’t get employment or compensation.
“We want CBI probe in the issue as CBI can only unearth the compensation scam,” said Singh.
