Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has taken serious note of the repeated deaths of Birhor tribespeople allegedly caused by mining activities in Jharkhand’s Chatty Bariatu coal project area, operated by Ritwik-AMR company in Hazaribagh district.
In just one week, the NCST has re-issued notices to five top Jharkhand government officials, demanding explanations within 15 days regarding the recent deaths. The commission has warned that failure to respond could lead to summons.
Earlier notices were issued following the deaths of Durga and Kirani Birhor. Fresh notices were issued after the deaths of Geeta Birhor and two-month-old Nisha Birhor, all linked to mining-related environmental hazards.
Officials Who Received Notices:
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Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department
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Secretary, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Class Welfare Department
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Secretary, Department of Forest, Environment & Climate Change
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Secretary, Department of Mines and Geology
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Director General of Police (DGP), Jharkhand
Trigger: Activist Complaint
The NCST acted upon a complaint by activist Mantu Soni, who accused NTPC of disregarding safety, environmental, and public health norms in its haste to begin mining operations. According to Soni, the project has already claimed the lives of at least four Birhor individuals, including a two-month-old baby on April 23.
NHRC Also Raises Concern
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also intervened, expressing concern over Geeta Birhor’s death. It issued notices to the NTPC CMD and Hazaribagh DC. The NHRC remarked that NTPC and district administration appeared to prioritize mining over the health and rights of the tribal population.
According to the joint inspection committee’s report cited by NHRC, NTPC’s activities pose a direct threat to the life and welfare of the Birhor tribe. Despite this, mining continues at the Chatty Bariatu project, violating safety recommendations.
No Action on Probe Report Recommendations
The NCST expressed serious concern that the district administration has failed to act on the recommendations of a five-member probe committee headed by the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO). The committee had concluded that mining around Birhor Tola in Pagar village was endangering lives due to dust pollution, frequent blasting, and heavy vehicle movement.
The report recommended halting mining until the Birhor families were relocated to a safer area. Yet, the operations continue unabated.
Most alarming, the NCST noted, is that none of the Birhor deaths underwent mandatory post-mortems under CRPC Section 174(3). The commission criticized this lapse as an attempt to obscure the true causes of death and shield the guilty parties.
