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Officials confirmed that the company has formally requested the district administration to cancel the public hearing process. The administration has initiated steps to nullify the proceedings. The move marks a significant retreat for the company after tensions escalated into clashes between protesters and police, drawing statewide attention.
The proposed coal block would have required the acquisition of nearly 3,100 hectares of land across 14 villages, including Dhaurabhatha, Libra, Jhikabahal, Bagbadi, Budiya, Samekera, Jharna, Khurusalenga, Lamdand, Bijna, Tangarghat, Aamgaon, Ravan Gudar and Tilaipara. According to officials, the company had proposed compensation of ₹62 lakh per acre, followed by statutory processes including gram sabha approvals and land acquisition formalities.
Thousands of villagers, including a large number of women, staged sit-ins and road blockades to oppose the project. Protests intensified on December 27, when a confrontation between police and demonstrators turned violent. During the unrest, three vehicles were set on fire and a woman sub-inspector was reportedly assaulted, prompting heavy police deployment in the area.
The opposition to the mine was not new. Villagers had earlier submitted memorandums seeking cancellation of the public hearing scheduled for October 14, forcing authorities to defer it. A second attempt to conduct the hearing on December 8 at a school ground in Dhaurabhatha also met with resistance, with protesters alleging that procedures were bypassed.
Following the clashes, JPL issued a letter on December 29 requesting the administration to withdraw the public hearing application. Gharghoda Sub-Divisional Magistrate Durga Prasad said the administration is processing the cancellation in view of the prevailing situation.
The issue has also taken a political turn. Pradesh Congress Committee president Deepak Baij visited the protest site and accused the police administration of using excessive force. He said villagers were holding a peaceful demonstration when police attempted to clear the area and detained over 40 men and women. “The violence was a reaction to high-handed action,” Baij said, questioning accountability for the escalation.
Authorities said investigations into the violence are ongoing, while maintaining that law and order remains a priority. The outcome underscores growing resistance to large-scale mining projects and signals tougher scrutiny of land acquisition processes in tribal and rural belts.
