The name of Bhilayikhurd village, located in Korba district of Chhattisgarh, is still on the lips of those whose lands were acquired in 1964-65 for the Manikpur open-cast mine of SECL (South Eastern Coalfields Limited). The land of Bhilayikhurd and surrounding villages was acquired for the Manikpur open-cast mine in the Korba Area in 1964-65.
Initially, the coal production capacity of the mine was one million tonnes. In that era, fertile lands of many villages were sacrificed for government acquisition in the name of industrial development. Bhilayikhurd was one of them. The villagers had hoped that with development, they too would get new opportunities, but even after 60 years, they are still waiting for a fair policy of compensation and rehabilitation.
Initially, the coal production capacity of the mine was one million tonnes. Over time, coal extraction from the mine has increased to 5.25 million tonnes annually. Earlier, coal extraction was happening at one end of the acquired area. But with the expansion of the mine, its scope has also increased.
The coal extracted from the Manikpur mine has become a major source of energy for the power plants of the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Company, as well as many private industries. Due to the mine, roads, electricity, and other infrastructure developed in the surrounding areas, but stability did not return to the lives of the farmers whose land was acquired. Low compensation, limited employment, and incomplete rehabilitation – this story has been repeating for decades.