Ranchi, March 7: Godda district administration today started the first step to enable the Adani Group begin groundwork for its proposed 1,600 MW thermal power project by holding gram sabha meetings at seven places, a process they claimed went peacefully.
A compulsory procedure before any large industrial project, the gram sabha meeting secures written consent of villagers for setting up the unit or plant in the village/s concerned, after which the long-drawn process for land acquisition begins.
According to Jharkhand land acquisition, rehabilitation, resettlement-ensuring due rights and transparency regulation of 2016, the groundwork of an industrial project can begin only if 80 per cent residents of villages to be affected by it approve.
The Adanis need 1,199.99 acres for its power plant and another 338.78 acres for its Jitpur coal block project.
Today's meetings were held in Sonediha, Gaighat and Rengania villages in Poreyahat block, Gangta and Motia in Godda block and Dumarpalam and Telbhitha villages in Sunderpahari block. Another seven gram sabhas meetings will be held tomorrow, completing the coverage area of 14 gram sabhas of the proposed Adani power project in Godda.
Teams of district officials, representatives of Adanis, and gram sabha members took part in the meetings. Local police were deployed at each spot and the entire process was video-recorded.
"Of the around 1,100 adults in Sonediha village, over 600 persons gave consent letters on the spot. We have sent requisite forms to those who could not make it today. They can deposit these in their circle officer's office within 15 days," said deputy development commissioner Mukund Das who went to Sonediha village today.
Additional collector Anil Kumar Tirkey said the gram sabha meeting in Gangta village that began at 2.30pm got enthusiastic response.
"Villagers are whole-heartedly taking part in it. People are still coming. Everything is peaceful," he told this correspondent in the afternoon.
The Adani Group also organised job fairs (rozgar melas) at Sunderpahari block to explain villagers the pros and cons of compensatory job and cash.
The company proposed land donors for their Jitpur coal project - Telbhitha, Dumarpalam, Dahubera, Pakeri and Jitpur villages of Sunderpahari block - could either get a job or Rs 5 lakh in cash. Godda DC Bhuvanesh Pratap Singh said that many people who over a year ago informally wanted Rs 5 lakh had now changed their minds and wanted jobs.
"We decided to hold gram sabha meetings in these villages again to settle every confusion. Strict execution of norms and maintaining transparency during dealings are our priority," Godda DC said.
The Jitpur coal block was earlier allotted to Jindal power project. After the coalgate scam, it was reallocated to Adani Group.
