A powerful public convention recently shook West Bengal’s Birbhum district, as residents in Siuri voiced their vehement opposition to the proposed Deocha Pachami coal mining project. On Friday, September 19, 2025, locals, alongside dedicated activists and influential politicians, convened a mass gathering, asserting that the project involves illegal land acquisition and threatens to displace numerous Adivasi families without providing just compensation.
Leading the charge at this critical gathering were renowned economist, activist, and politician Prasenjit Bose, and veteran Congress figure Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who stood in solidarity with local community organizers.
An official statement from the convention starkly highlighted the profound human cost: “Thousands of Adivasi, Dalit, and minority families are grappling with the terrifying prospect of displacement. The very culture and existence of a society intricately woven with its water, forests, and land are being pushed to the precipice of destruction.” Local activists further warned of the project’s severe environmental consequences, predicting a long-term water crisis, compounding the existing air and water pollution already impacting the region from current mining operations.
With conviction, the activists and politicians present at the convention issued a dual demand: a thorough judicial inquiry into the entire project, citing allegations of corruption, and an immediate halt to all ongoing work.
Experts have weighed in, noting that while the Deocha-Pachami region is believed to hold a substantial 1200 million tonnes of mineable coal, this valuable resource lies deeply buried beneath a basalt layer ranging from 90 to an astounding 245 meters thick.
Back in February, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during the Bengal Global Business Summit, heralded the project as a game-changer, promising a century of coal supply and the creation of one lakh jobs. However, her assurances have been met with skepticism. Several politicians, including Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, have openly questioned the feasibility of extracting coal from beneath such formidable basalt layers, suggesting it is “close to impossible.”
An organizer from the mass convention asserted, “The government’s pronouncements are deeply misleading. What we are witnessing on the ground isn’t true coal extraction, but rather basalt mining being conducted in stages, seemingly without the necessary proper clearances.”
From the very outset of the project, local communities have been plagued by anxiety, fearing their land would be forcefully taken or they would be forcibly relocated to make way for what is ambitiously promoted as India’s largest coal block. This deep-seated apprehension has fueled numerous protests by residents and activists, all condemning the controversial mining initiative.
In response, government officials have publicly stated that families surrendering their land for the project would receive a compensation of ₹39 lakhs and one job. Yet, this promise offers little solace to many on the ground, who report a disturbing lack of transparency in the compensation process, leaving their future prospects shrouded in uncertainty.