M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, July 23: A team of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) is conducting exploration at village Dhawadeeh under Satbarwa block in Palamu. The exploration is for both metal and non-metal beneath the earth.
However, the exploration’s take-off here was not easy as there was a strong and determined resistance by the villagers.
An atmosphere of distrust and anger prevailed here before the exploration started but it was dispelled and diluted by Palamu DC Anjaneyulu Dodde and his officer SDO Sadar Rajesh Kumar Sah said to the villagers.
Why were villagers reluctant to allow exploration?
It was for an apprehension that in the event of metal or non-metal found beneath the earth, then the government would go for its mining which would mean moving out of the land, home and hearth.
The villagers were scared of the Visthapan (displacement) and so they had decided to nip this attempt to explore in the beginning by refusing to allow any exploration at all. It was the dread of displacement that was on the back of their mind.
The issue reached Palamu DC Anjaneyulu Dodde who directed Sadar SDO Rajesh Kumar Sah to resolve this issue which was not only ticklish but delicate as well.
The SDO began to hold dialogues with everyone there. He talked to the elderly people and youth and took the women in confidence as well. After several rounds of dialogues in which the SDO tried to dispel many of the misgivings of the exploration, the villagers began to believe and trust him gradually.
SDO Sadar Rajesh Kumar Sah told lagatar24.com that he gave his ears to the villagers who immediately began to repose trust in him.
The SDO said he spoke plainly in their dialect. The villagers put queries to him and he answered each of them. When the villagers got convinced that their queries regarding the exploration were addressed by the officer, they nodded in favour of the exploration.
On which land is exploration going on?
The exploration is going on the raiyyati land as well as the gair majarua land. The raiyyat (land owner) has allowed exploration willingly. As it is the government which is the owner of the gair majarua land, there is no issue of any willingness since it is the duty of the district administration to lend all cooperation and support to the exploration team of the GSI.
SDO Sadar said surprisingly the villagers were disallowing exploration on the gair majarua land more and most when by law, the gair majarua land is of the government and no villager is a stakeholder of it.
Is exploration harmful to villagers or surroundings?
SDO Sadar Rajesh Kumar Sah said that there is no such problem. It is a drill by machine. The drill is 200 to 300 meters down earth. Its radius is too small.
However, he very politely but firmly refused to make any reference to the objective or mission of the GSI.
“I have no idea. I don’t know what the GSI is searching for. Our DC had directed me to pave the way for the GSI and that we could do with active and sensible cooperation of the people there.”
