UMERKOT: Thousands of people affected by the Thar coal project held a significant protest at the Islamkot Press Club, urging the government and project authorities to address their long-standing grievances.

Villagers from areas surrounding the coal mining site walked over six kilometers, carrying banners and placards, chanting slogans to echo their voices raised against displacement, environmental damage and economic injustice in the aftermath of the expansion in the coal mining project.

Demanding fair treatment under the law with equitable share in the benefits derived from the coal project, they expressed frustration over the exploitation of their ancestral lands without proper compensation and concerns of their welfare.

Many protesters voiced concerns about how the project, touted as a symbol of progress, had disrupted their lives and left them in poverty.

Led by Nabi Bakhsh Dars, Soro Bheel, Waryam Lanjoo and local lawyer Hemraj Bheel, the protesters condemned the project’s operations. “This is the land of our ancestors, yet we are treated as strangers here,” Dars said. “We are the rightful custodians of this soil, but our voices are ignored while the land is ravaged for coal. All this progress has left us impoverished and marginalised.”

They highlighted that while Thar’s resources derived national development, Tharis were denied basic amenities, including the electricity generated from their own land. Water resources had been polluted, grazing lands destroyed, and many residents were forced to abandon their homes as the area became increasingly uninhabitable, they added.

Sohrab Rahmoon, another prominent protestor, said “The slogan ‘Thar Will Change Pakistan’ is hollow if it doesn’t uplift the people of Thar. We’re losing our livelihoods, dignity and future to this project. Ignoring our plight risks destabilising the region.”

The protest spotlighted villages like New Senhri, Thario Halipota, Gorano and Bhavi Jo Tar, where residents face forced displacement, water scarcity and environmental degradation because of coal mining.

It was an irony that Thar’s coal was illuminating other parts of Pakistan while leaving Thar villages in darkness, a local elder noted. “This project may light up the cities, but our villages are left to fend for themselves,” he lamented.

A key demand was a fair share of royalties from the Thar coal project.

The protesters argued that profits should fund the local development. They also called for a comprehensive ‘Thar Land Grant Policy’ which would allow families to lease their lands to the project instead of facing permanent displacement.

“This is about more than land; it’s about preserving our heritage and way of life,” said Hemraj Bheel, a lawyer and activist. “The government must protect us.”

The protesters presented a Charter of Demands, listing their grievances and needs, including a comprehensive resurvey of the affected areas and inclusion of the displaced communities in the updated resettlement plans.

They also called for immediate allocation of 1,000 acres for grazing and 500 acres for resettlement to support the displaced villagers besides equitable distribution of royalties and job priority for locals as promised by the Engro and government agreements.

The protesters also demanded a rigorous environmental policy to reduce pollution and protect local vegetation, wildlife and human health. Provision of clean drinking water, scholarships for youth and permanent employment opportunities for Thari residents were also on their charter.

Utamchand Bheel, a protester, demanded respect and opportunities for self-reliance, saying: “We deserve dignity as contributors to the national economy. Give us work, and let us contribute as equal citizens of Pakistan.”

Protesters highlighted the project’s environmental damage, citing respiratory diseases, contaminated water and ruined crops. They claimed that the project’s lack of safeguards had devastated local ecosystems and threatened community health.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2024