Congress Demands Cancellation of Bastar Mines Allotment

Dantewada, May 29 (PTI) The Congress on Thursday demanded the cancellation of allotment of four iron ore mines to private companies in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region as its four-day-long foot march in Dantewada district came to an end.
`Nyay Padyatra', the march, was led by the party's state unit chief Deepak Baij. It had started from Kirandul town on May 26, and ended here after covering a distance of 42 km.
At the end of the march, Congress workers tried to gherao the collector's office here, and staged a demonstration.
Baij alleged that since the Vishnu Deo Sai-led BJP government came to power, Chhattisgarh's resources were being handed over to private players at a fast pace.
The entire Bastar region is covered by the Constitution's fifth schedule with Gram Sabhas having special rights, but the BJP government's focus is only on showering benefits on corporate houses, he said.
Four iron ore mines -- Bailadila 1A, 1B and 1C in Dantewada district and Hahaladi in Kanker -- were handed over to private companies for 50 years, he said.
"We have handed over a memorandum to the district administration, addressed to the Governor, seeking cancellation of the mines allotted to private firms," the Congress leader said.
In the memorandum, Baij said the people of Bastar have no objection to the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), a central PSU, which has been already carrying out mining activities in Dantewada, but private firms should not be allotted mines in the area.
The people want only NMDC to carry out mining activities, he claimed.
The tribal-dominated Bastar region in south Chhattisgarh comprises the districts of Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma.