Displaced farmer gets SECL job after 1,517 days of struggle, 37 years after land acquisition
Korba: In a significant victory for land-displaced farmers, one affected cultivator has finally received employment in South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) after a prolonged struggle of 1,517 days. The breakthrough came following sustained agitation by the Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha (CGKS) and the Bhumi Visthapit Rojgar Ekta Sangh demanding jobs in lieu of land acquired for coal mining projects.
SECL headquarters at Bilaspur approved employment in a long-pending case, after which Kusmunda Project General Manager Sachin Tanaji Patil handed over the appointment letter to displaced farmer Raghunandan Yadav.
While presenting the appointment letter, GM Patil welcomed Yadav into the SECL family and assured that the process of providing employment to other eligible land-displaced persons would be expedited as per rules. Senior officials including the Kusmunda APM and revenue officers were present on the occasion.
On receiving the employment order, members of Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha and land-displaced farmers celebrated the moment by distributing sweets at the protest site and outside the GM’s office. The agitators termed it a major success after years of struggle and asserted that the agitation would continue until all displaced families affected by land acquisition are provided employment.
It is noteworthy that for the expansion of the Kusmunda coal mine, large tracts of agricultural land were acquired between 1978 and 2004 in villages such as Jarha Jail, Barpali, Durpa, Khamhariya, Mangaoan, Barampur, Dullapur, Jatraj, Sonpuri, Barkuta, Gevra and Bhaisama. At that time, SECL had a policy of providing employment in exchange for land. However, a subsequent policy change requiring a minimum of two acres of land for one job deprived many affected farmers of employment.
CGKS State Joint Secretary Prashant Jha stated that farmers whose land has been acquired by SECL must be provided permanent employment as land is their sole source of livelihood. He described the appointment as a victory of the displaced farmers’ movement and said the struggle would be intensified in the coming days to secure jobs for all affected landholders.
Representatives of Bhumi Visthapit Rojgar Ekta Sangh, Resham Yadav and Damodar Shyam, said that issuance of employment orders in old pending cases has infused fresh energy into the movement and raised hopes among other displaced families. They stressed that unity and collective struggle are essential to ensure employment for all displaced persons.
Expressing his emotions, newly appointed employee Raghunandan Yadav said his land was acquired in 1988. Despite repeated visits to offices over the years, he received only disappointment. Under the guidance of Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha and after a united struggle of 1,517 days, he finally received employment, which he described as a victory of perseverance and collective resistance.
