Bhan Sahu is talking to A P Joshi ji from Janjgir district in Chhattisgarh during Jan Chetna Yatra who is telling her story of 14 laborers who applied for work under NREGA on 14th Feb. When they did not get work in 15 days according to law they applied for compensation on 1st March. They have since applied to higher officials and District collector but no one has either bothered to give them the compensation or the work. He requests us to help. For more Bhan Ji can be reached at 09406033089

Sent by Bhan Sahu from Bamhedi, where she is participating in the yatra . She can be contacted at 9406033089

Harihar Diwan of Bamhedi village shares his story with Bhan Sahu during the Jan chetna Yatra. He says that people saw that their river Hasdu was polluted by the affluents of the Madhya Bharat Paper Mill. Many tribals who used to fish in the river are not out of their source of livelihood.
Then there was an acquisition drive for land for a power plant, which has been stalled by the villagers.
For more details of this success story, you may contact Bhan Sahu at 09406033089

Bhan Sahu is reporting from Sarkeli village in Chhattisgarh. Today is the fourth day of the Jan Chetna Yatra organized by Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan. Krishnadas Mahant ji is holding a dharna on land rights at Sarkeli. An interview with Krishnadas ji –

B.S. : Since when is the dharna in progress?
K.M : The dharna has been on since 15th February and will go on indefinitely until the government accedes to our demands. Our only demand is that we do not want to give up our lands to the government on any condition and that no plans should be made for our land. When they accept this, we will cease the dharna. Otherwise it will continue indefinitely.

B.S. : Has the government responded?
K.M.: SDM saheb came after the 2nd or 3rd day and said, “This demonstration that you are doing…the elephant is dead, what is the point of posing for photographs with the corpse?”
We asked him to give this to us in writing, but he avoided the subject and said we would receive it in 15-20 days and went away.
We have not seen him since nor has he asked about us.

B.S. : Has anyone else supported you in your dharna?
K.M. : Yes many people have supported us, such as Chetna Manch, Samman Manch, Jal Jangal Bachao Sangharsh Samiti and leaders of the Bahujan Samaj Party. We have also got support from many other parties and people and we are confident that we will be successful and that the government will have to accede to our demands.

B.S. : An invitation to the listeners of CGNet, there is a meeting on 20 April 2012,at Janjgir at 11 AM. All activists and development workers in the area are invited to attend and show their support for this cause.

You can reach Bhan ji at 9993675635 for more details.

During Jan Chetna Yatra of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan Bhan Sahu is talking to villagers in Janjgir district who tell her that they do not want the upcoming power plants. They think the ash from the plants will destroy their crop and electricity shock may come from the plants to them in water. She also talks to Dr Lakhan Singh of Yatra who tells her that the authorities are not respecting the laws for scheduled areas while taking farmers land for the upcoming plants. For more Bhan Ji can be reached at 08435549641