Protect RaoGhat Hills and the Mystical Tribals of Narainpur in Bastar District, Chhattisgarh
- Target:
- Government of India, Chhattisgarh State Government, Central Ministry of Environmen and Forest
- Region:
- India
Raoghat needs to be protected if we have to save planet earth.
One of the Newpaper today stated that a MOU to plunder the Raoghat Hills will be signed at Delhi on 6th August,2007.
If at all this projects comes up it will be doomsday to the beautiful flaura and fauna and the rich culture and traditions of the Indigenous people residing in Bastar.
On 3rd july 2007 the Business Community of Narainpur District in North Bastar called for a "Bund"(closure) .The reason was the fight between the Business Communities of Narainpur and Antagarh District for the ownership of Raoghat Township once the Raoghat mines start.
This looks like a well planned conspiracy to divert the mind of the people from the real issues surrounding the RaoGhat Mines and the Rail Project.Is it because this project was rejected in the nineties by the Enviroment and Forest Ministry?Why the State Government feels that now when there is a worlwide concern to save Environment that they will get clearance from the Ministry?
Why are the sentiments of the Indigenous people being completely ignored?
Has anyone bothered to find out about the name "Rao Ghat"?According to the local belief Rao Ghat is home too the Creator of this world Lord "Raja Rao Natraj" and Goddess "Mata Maoli"(sister of Maa Danteshwari) and their family.
Not only the local people come here to worship daily but also they gather in large numbers throughout the year and take out "Jatra"(procession) of the God and Godess.Even lot of foreign tourist come here to enjoy the wonderful eco-system present at Rao Ghat.
So any mining at RaoGhat will be like destroying the God and Goddess of the Tribals thus will come under the SC/ST Atrocities Act of the Constitution of India.
Is the State Government planning a revolt by the Indigenous people so that they can kill and displace more tribals as they have been doing since the start of Salwa Judum??
Just because "Dalli Rajhara" mines are over Bhilai Steel plant now wants "Rao Ghat" mines.What will happen once the "Rao Ghat" mines are also exhausted?
Is it really the BSP which wants the mines or they are playing in the hands of Tata,Essar,Jindal and other Sponge Iron Units of Chhattisgarh? Afterall the "Bailadilla" mines in Dantewada District which belongs to the NMDC is now being allotted to the likes of Tata Steel,Essar Steel and other mining companies?
In the days of Global Warming,Tsunami and Weather Change do we really need to destroy the most beautiful and amazing eco-system still existing in RaoGhat?
Is BSP playing in the hands of Tata and Essar Steel?
Are we not worried that our future generation won't have fresh air to breathe or will there be a future generations at all???
The Locals in Raoghat area have strong belief in their God and Goddess and they feel that if RaoGhat is disturbed it will bring an end to the human race.
Is the State Government and the Government at the Center listening?May be the State Government and the Business Community for once should think about what they are leaving for the future generations and not their immediate gains....
As per the provisions of the Constitution of India, the resolve of the village council is supreme in Bastar District. No body can play with the resolve of the tribal village council. However, contrary to those provisions, state government is acting as the agent of the private industrial houses, did not bothered to educate the tribals about the importance of public hearing at a village council to manage the favorable resolve of the village council.
We, the undersigned, request the Government of India to :
1) look again at the Environmental and Cultural Issues under which the RaoGhat Rail Line project was rejected by the Environment and Forest Ministry of India in the 90s.
2) respect the God and Goddess of the Indigenous people living in RaoGhat hills.
3) respect the Constitution of India since Bastar is protected under the Schedule 5 provision of the Constitution.
4) when the Prime Minister is talking about announcing another Green Revolution on 15th,August,2007 then why destroy the Age Old Forest of Bastar,Chhattisgarh?
5) Raipur the Capital of Chhattisgarh is the most polluted city in India because of the Sponge Iron Units surrounding the city.So why open more mines to add to te cause of Global Warming?
6) stop the plunder of Bastar to avoid Environmental and Medical Hazards
7) review the MOUs signed by the State Government and Tata Steel and Essar Steel in Bastar since the verdict of "Gram Sabhas" were manipulated by the District Collectors of both Jagdalpur and Datewada District of Bastar.
8) The district collector of Bastar,G.N.Mishra sold the Shivnath River to Raidius Water Company without telling the concerned ministry.Do you think such corrupt people will do justice to the interest of the Tribals and the Environment?
9) think of our future generation.what will happen once all the mines get over?Bastar would look like a present day Iraq.
10) only solution is to promote Bastar as a tourism hot spot so that Bastar remains the way it is till the end.
11) for tourism, peace in Bastar has to be restored by stopping Salwa Judum and also reducing the number of Police from these areas.It sounds stupid but this is the only way out since State violence has brought more misery to the people of Bastar.
Yours Sincerely,
P.Pattavi,
President,
Prithak Bastar Rajya Party,
Raipur,(C.G),India
Ramlal Usendi,
Bhumkal Manjhi Sarkar,
Narainpur,Dist.Bastar,
Chhattisgarh,India
and The Undersigned
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Protect RaoGhat Hills and the Mystical Tribals of Narainpur in Bastar District, Chhattisgarh petition to Government of India, Chhattisgarh State Government, Central Ministry of Environmen and Forest was written by P.Prabhat and is in the category Culture at GoPetition.