Ranchi, Sept. 3: Hundreds of people in Khunti today hit the road to protest against Ranchi Regional Development Authority's (RRDA) reported move to include six revenue villages under its jurisdiction.
Over 500 residents from the six villages of Fudi panchayat lined up hand-in-hand along the two sides of Ranchi-Khunti Road, creating four-km-long human chains that stretched from Hardag to Khunti town. The protesters alleged that the RRDA move would rob local villagers of their land and other basic rights.
According to a 2012 government notification, the six revenue villages - Neyaldih, Kalamati, Dungra, Darul, Sildah and Ogari - were to be brought under RRDA jurisdiction as a part of Greater Ranchi project. These villages are located near Ranchi-Khunti border, around 35km from the capital.
But, the plan did not materialise as the RRDA remained defunct all these years in the absence of the chairman.
But, a few months ago, the government appointed a full-time chairman at RRDA, which sparked a sense of insecurity among the villagers.
"We submitted a memorandum to the DC's office in this regard today," said Herman Toppo, the mukhiya of Fudi panchayat which has total eight revenue villages and a population of over 2,500.
The villagers may launch a massive campaign to protect their land if the government doesn't change its plan.
"Soon, we shall stage a daylong dharna outside Raj Bhavan too," the mukhiya added.
Asked about the reason behind the villagers' protest against the move that was likely to pave the way for development, Toppo said the RRDA's tainted past was known to all.
"It failed to do any good for Ranchi in the last 16 years. Getting into RRDA jurisdiction would mean, the authority will take away our land, plan buildings and commercial establishments and drive us out of our villages. We won't allow this to happen," he said.
RRDA secretary Onil Clement Oria, however, said the villagers' concerns were unfounded. "We haven't yet started taking over those villages formally. Once that happens, our job will be to develop those areas through proper housing, roads etc and also generate our own revenues through commercial activities and not rob anyone of any right," he claimed.
