TENSION is reportedly brewing between villagers and the management of the Dhulki iron ore mine operated by Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), located in the Khadgaon Police Station area of the tribal-dominated and Naxal-affected Manpur block of Chhattisgarh. The BSP management has sought permission through the Gram Sabha for exploratory drilling to assess iron ore availability in the leased area, but the Forest Management Committee and local residents have opposed the move. In this connection, a Gram Sabha meeting was held in Daura village under the Khadgaon Police Station limits, where villagers unanimously resolved to oppose the proposed drilling. Addressing the gathering, Ramkumar Salame, secretary of the Bodra Forest Management Committee, and villager Bimla Salame, along with others, stated that permission would not be granted for drilling or for the use of roads linked to the mine until their long-pending issues were addressed.

 

The villagers alleged that mining companies have focused solely on mineral extraction, while the development of basic amenities such as electricity, drinking water, roads, healthcare, and education, mandated under existing rules, has failed to reachthe desired level. They also expressed apprehensions that ground vibrations caused by drilling could damage houses in nearby villages. Concerns were further raised over the discharge of red water from mines, which, they feared, could pose a future threat to agricultural fields and crops. For these reasons, villagers said they have not agreed to grant the drilling permission sought through the Forest Management Committee.

 

However, it was decided that a final stand would be taken after convening another Gram Sabha in the presence of representatives from all surrounding affected villages. The villagers also appealed to company and district administration officials to attend the meeting and engage in an open discussion on regional development and mining operations. Commenting on the issue, Collector Tulika Prajapati said that the BSP management should have followed the prescribed administrative procedure for obtaining permission.

 

She said the district administration would convene a joint meeting of the Gram Panchayat and the BSP management to understand the concerns and objections raised by villagers. The Collector assured that the matter would be resolved through dialogue, and that both the administration and the company would work towards ensuring necessary development facilities. Three iron ore mines have been established in the Khadgaon police station area of Manpur block over the past two decades.

 

The Pallemadi Sharda mine began operations in 2002, followed by the Godavari mine in 2014 and the Bhilai Steel Plant’s Dhulki mine in 2017. When mining commenced, local residents had hoped that the companies would contribute to the development of basic infrastructure as stipulated under the rules. However, even after two decades, villagers claim they continue to be deprived of meaningful development. During the meeting, an elderly woman from Bodra village voiced her anguish in Chhattisgarhi, saying, “We haven’t received roads, nor electricity. I’m tired of asking… now I’m just waiting to die,” reflecting deep frustration over the lack of basic facilities. Another villager, Bimla Salame, said that her village, surrounded by hills and forests, already has mines on three sides. If mining is extended to the remaining forested hill area, she warned, forest produce, the community’s primary source of livelihood, would also be lost.