In the north-eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, villagers have vehemently opposed Adani’s misnamed ‘Gondulpara’ coal-mine project for three years, bringing work to a standstill. Now, the government has decided to establish a police station in the affected area. The people say that their pleas for a permanent police presence fell on deaf ears when Maoist extremists murdered village leaders some years back, but now that Adani’s interests are at stake, the government is bringing in the constabulary.

Basic information on the 'Gondulpara' project:

• Name of project: Gondulpara coal mine
• Location: Gondalpura village and surrounds, state of Jharkhand, India
• Owner: Adani Enterprises Ltd
• Coal reserves: 176 million tons
• Type of mining: Opencast
• Project area: 520 ha
• Households impacted: from 500 to 1950 (depending on the source), including people from 'scheduled tribes'

(This article is based on a translation from the daily Hindi paper Prabhat Khabar of 1 September 2024 in the Gondalpura area)

In late August 2024, the people of the panchayats (village councils) of the Gondalpura village area met to formally oppose the takeover of their lands for Adani’s 'Gondulpara' coal project. They resolved to oppose coal mining and any other industrial project in their green and fertile precinct.

The people also objected to the establishment of a new police station. They wrote complaints to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and various other departments. They said that when Gondalpura had been impacted, some years ago, by Maoist extremists, the government had ignored the villagers’ pleas for police protection. Two prominent villagers, including headman Nageswar Mahato, were killed by the extremists, but still a police presence was denied them.

Now, when an Adani company has come to destroy farms, fields and forests with a huge coal mine, the government has decided to establish a police station to protect the company’s interests from protests by the local people.

‘We, the people, strongly object,’ said a village spokesperson, ‘and if the government does not listen to us, we will be forced to start major protests.

‘For 499 days, the people of Gondalpura have sat in peaceful demonstration [against Adani's coal project], and no government person or political leader has come to us.’ 

The people pledged to protect their lands, forest and water from Adani’s coal mine.