In a significant protest, hundreds of villagers from Handia in Nuagarh panchayat stopped the construction of a boundary wall at the ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel plant, accusing both the administration and the company of failing to fulfill their long-standing demands for employment and rehabilitation. The protesters, including women and children, staged a dharna, sit-in, on Tuesday, calling attention to the unkept promises made to them more than a decade ago.
The roots of this conflict date back to 2008 when Essar Steel acquired 394 acres of land in Handia village, located in Kujang tehsil, as part of an expansion plan for its pellet plant. As part of the acquisition process, around 80 families were given displacement notices. The villagers allege that they were promised compensation in the form of employment, one job for each displaced family member, and adequate rehabilitation. Initially, the administration proposed land for their relocation in Narendrapur under the Biswali panchayat, but the villagers demanded that they be relocated within the Nuagarh panchayat, closer to their homes.
In 2016, the administration conceded to the villagers' demand for relocation within Nuagarh panchayat. However, despite this agreement, no suitable land was identified for their rehabilitation, leaving the displaced families in limbo.
The situation took another turn in 2019, when Essar Steel sold the plant to ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel. Despite the change in ownership, the villagers' demands remained unmet. AM/NS began the construction of a boundary wall on the acquired land, but the issues raised by the displaced families continued to be ignored. The construction of the wall, which was seen as a symbol of progress for the company, sparked fresh protests from the villagers, who accused AM/NS of ignoring their rightful claims.
The protests reached a peak on Tuesday, with villagers halting the construction work in a bid to draw attention to their grievances. They continued to demand that AM/NS and the local administration address their needs, including providing the promised jobs and securing proper land for rehabilitation.
After several hours of protest, a senior AM/NS official stated that the villagers had called off their protest following intervention from the local administration. Construction work was expected to resume on Wednesday, although the villagers' demands for employment and rehabilitation remain unresolved.
This ongoing issue reflects the larger challenges faced by displaced communities across India, where promises of compensation and rehabilitation often go unfulfilled. The case of Handia village is a clear example of how, even after more than a decade, displaced families continue to face uncertainty about their future, despite the growth and development of large industrial projects in their vicinity.
