Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi’s announcement on Saturday, just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tamil Nadu, that three lignite blocks in the Cauvery delta region would be removed from the list of mines to be auctioned, has farmers in the area celebrating. They have a reason to rejoice, as the withdrawal marks the victory of another public campaign run by farmers as a lobby against natural resource exploration in the fertile delta region.
Notably, the original proposal to include three lignite blocks in the delta region in the list of coal deposits to be auctioned across the country had provoked as much anger as this reversal of fortune. Farmer organizations and political parties demanded that the auction of three blocks in Tamil Nadu be cancelled. Of the three lignite blocks notified by the ministry in Tamil Nadu, two – Vadassery and east of Sethiyathope – are part of the Cauvery delta. They are in a protected agricultural zone declared by the state in 2020 following sustained protests against hydrocarbon exploration. The third block in Michaelpatti is located in the paddy growing area.
The happy ending of the short but spirited campaign against the auction changed the direction the story had been taking so far. For the past few days, farmers in Wadassery and nearby villages had become restless. While the 2017 campaign against hydrocarbon exploration at Neduvasal in Pudukottai district and Kadiramangalam in Thanjavur lasted for months, the Vadassery protests ended quickly, thanks to the central government’s prompt response to pressure from various quarters, including the state.
Terming it a victory for the farmers, PR Pandian, president of the coordination committee of all farmers’ unions in Tamil Nadu, who had protested against the auction in Ullikottai last week, criticized the Centre’s decision to roll back its “unilateral” decision of the auction. welcomed. Three lignite blocks in Tamil Nadu. Mr. Pandian and his associates burst crackers and distributed sweets to people in Mannargudi on Saturday evening. “We are grateful to chief minister MK Stalin for immediately writing to the prime minister and his categorical declaration in the assembly that the project would not be allowed,” he said. He also thanked the opposition parties and BJP state leadership for supporting the farmers.
The farmers of Vadassery are also happy. “We are very happy. We formed a struggle committee on Friday with representatives from the affected villages, expecting it to be a long battle. But thankfully, the issue has been resolved quickly. Still, we Will be wary of any attempt to exploit our resources,” said SA Krishnamurthy, a farmer from Vadassery.
The village in Thanjavur district is one of the most fertile regions of the Cauvery delta region, which is considered the food bowl of the state. “We are at the extreme end of the delta, yet we grow three crops a year here. Every farmer has one or more borewells in his field. We will never stop farming… not that someone will dig coal from our land. It can only happen on our dead bodies,” Mr Krishnamurthy confirmed early last week.
Rural, small and medium farmers were largely shocked to hear about the auction. “Idhu Pon Vilayum Bhoomi [This is a land that yields gold]Had to avoid “How can they destroy our fertile land and livelihood? Is lignite more important than food security? Why can’t they use solar energy and other renewable sources?” There were repeated questions.
AG Krishnamurthy, 64, of the local farmers union, said this was not the first of the successes the protesting villagers had tasted. He led a public and legal campaign to close a chemical factory there about a decade ago.
For many people in these villages, farming is the primary source of income. And the prospect of their land being taken over for mining raised apprehensions. “I have taken a loan for the higher education of my son and daughter. I depend on my land for all my needs. Where will I live without it?” wonders T. Thennarasu, 60, of Ullikottai. “Thousands of agricultural laborers from neighboring villages also depend on regular employment from farming here throughout the year,” says PK Govindaraj, a farmer leader from Ullikottai.
political unity
The lignite block auction proposal brought together political parties who set aside their differences in a rare gesture in a polarized climate. Mr Stalin wrote to the Prime Minister seeking exclusion of three blocks in Tamil Nadu from the list of coal mines to be auctioned and later asserted in the Assembly that his government would never allow the project.
AIADMK, Congress, PMK, VCK, CPI(M), CPI, MDMK and Tamizhaga Valvurimai Katchi opposed the auction. Even BJP state president K.K. Annamalai and General Secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu CT Ravi met Union Minister Joshi and handed over a memorandum to him, demanding the removal of three lignite blocks in Tamil Nadu.
NLCIL in bondage
Similar is the situation in Cuddalore, where NLC India Limited (NLCIL) has started the process of acquiring land for lignite mining from farmers in Kariveti, Valayamadevi and Kathalai villages. The PSU has also started mining of lignite from the land acquired earlier. However, here, the response is different. While a section of residents, including farmers with small land holdings, are against the alienation of their land, another section is waiting for acquisition.
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss wrote to Mr Stalin urging him to announce that the state government would not give permission for the six proposed lignite mines – NLC Third, East of Sethiyathope, Veeranam, Palayamkottai, Michaelpatti and Vadassery. He said that the government should give priority to food security.
The 380 acres of land acquired by the PSU from 2006 to 2015 has been encroached upon as no steps were taken by NLCIL to demarcate and fence the land. Though landowners were promised compensation ranging from ₹6 lakh per acre in 2006 to ₹15 lakh per acre in 2015, many are not happy. They now want more financial assistance.
Udayakumar, a small farmer from Kariveti, had given up 2.5 acres of land in 2006. The compensation for the land was fixed in 2006. It should be revised as per the current land rates…,” he says.
A senior NLCIL official informed that the land required for mining is acquired in different stages as per the requirement provided by the Mines Planning Department. Due to inadequate acquisition of land in the last 10 years, NLCIL does not have the required land for lignite mining.
“NLCIL has acquired 9,700 hectares in Neyveli for mining since 1956. Out of this, about 9,146 hectares have been utilised. About 1,054 hectares of land is needed for the next five years.
To demand higher compensation, the company has come forward to pay a minimum of ₹25 lakh per acre of agricultural land.
(With inputs from S. Prasad in Cuddalore and Uddhav Naig in Chennai)