Gadchiroli: hundreds protest against mining firms

Gadchiroli: Hundreds of gram sabha members of Etapalli taluka on Monday held a protest march to the sub-divisional office (SDO) in Gadchiroli, demanding that mining rights given to various private firms in the area be revoked.

The protesters held that these firms were damaging the environment and destroying the traditional places of worship of the local tribal communities. The protesters demanded that the government implement the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996 or PESA and the Forest Rights Act effectively.

The protesters submitted a memorandum of their demands addressed to the governor to the SDO.