Moving Mountains Against Local People'S Will

Madia-Gond tribals in Maharashtra are fighting an oppressive state and high-handed mining companies to save their god and source of livelihood — the forests, reports Prateek Goyal. Laws passed by Parliament seem to have no resonance here.

- Prateek Goyal

The road leading to Surjagadh mountain ranges in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra passes through lush green forests of Dandkaranya. The smooth road winding through wilderness is suddenly broken by barbed wires and concrete camp by on the left side. The presence of police and CRPF is justified by the authorities as preventive mechanism for Naxalism. Scratch the surface a little and villagers tell you that anti-Naxalism is just a garb under which the state is supporting powerful people with deep pockets to take away the tribals’ most sacred treasure, their forest.

“Kaun ho aur kidhar jaa rahe ho? Gaadi ka number kya hai?” is the routine question posed by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans or Maharashtra state policemen to passersby on the road going towards Surjagad mountain range. A person going to or coming out from villages near Surjagad is subjected to mandatory checking by joint fortified camps of CRPF and Maharashtra police in village Hedri of Etapalli tehsil of this Naxal-affected region of Dandakaranya forest.

However, some eight months ago there was no such camp in Hedri. As per the villagers,

Naxalites are not the reason behind establishment of the camps. The reason behind heavy security in the area around Surjagad mountain ranges is allegedly to facilitate iron ore mining in this area, Bande and Damkodwadavi for private companies like Llyods Metal and Energy and JSW Ispat.

The mining companies have allegedly not taken permission from Gram Sabhas for their project, which is mandatory before starting mining in any area. Madia-Gond tribals in the area are opposing mining projects as theirs is a forest-based community and their livelihoods depend on it. This opposition has invited unnecessary harassment from police, which is trying to coerce them into submission.