Bhubaneswar, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state government was committed to protecting the interests of the general public in the land acquisition process in coal mining areas and announced that a new rehabilitation and resettlement policy would be rolled out soon.
Pujari, who chaired a high-level review meeting here on Tuesday, discussed issues related to land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced persons in coal mining areas and thermal power projects in Angul, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh and Sambalpur districts.
“For development, we want mines and industry, but first and foremost, we are for the welfare of the common people. We cannot put their lives at risk. It is not advisable to displace the poor and build homes for others,” the minister said, stressing the need to balance industrialization with the interests of the people.
He directed officials to give priority to allocating state lands to companies to establish projects, noting that the acquisition of private lands should be a last resort.
He also asked industries to pay fair compensation, ensure local employment, and take social welfare measures for those affected.
The Minister also reviewed land tenure issues and said that it was decided to exclude non-coal mining areas from the coal production requirement through the Peripheral Rehabilitation and Development Advisory Committee for the benefit of the displaced and destitute.
The Minister also directed industrial and mining companies to establish new colonies in developed areas to rehabilitate and resettle the displaced.
Pujari also asked Mahanadi Coalfields Limited to issue plots on the acquired lands and set up new colonies for the displaced residents.
The meeting decided that trucking of fly ash, which has been identified as a major source of dust and pollution, should be regulated and restricted to specific time periods, preferably at night, using covered vehicles.
The Minister also suggested adopting scientific and environmentally friendly alternatives, such as underground transportation systems for transporting fly ash. He said the State Pollution Control Board has been asked to ensure regular monitoring, with strict action taken against violators.
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