Insaaf Times Desk
CPI-ML General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya, addressing a press conference in Patna, termed the proposed Adani Power Project in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur district, as “a deal of destruction, not development.” He warned that the project poses a direct threat to the land, livelihoods, and environment of millions of farmers in the region.
Leading a high-level inspection team, Bhattacharya visited Pirpainti on October 2 to meet with farmers affected by the project. The delegation included Ghosi MLA Rambali Singh Yadav, former MLA Manoj Manzil, local leaders Mahesh Yadav, Randhir Yadav, Rinku Yadav, Gaurishankar, as well as representatives from CPI-ML , the India Alliance, and civil society.
Bhattacharya revealed that Adani Group has been leased 1,050 acres of fertile land at a nominal rate of just ₹1 per year, land that is currently filled with mango orchards. “This decision will not only lead to the felling of millions of trees but also deprive thousands of families of their livelihoods,” he said.
He alleged that the government is forcibly handing over farmers’ land to benefit Adani, despite the fact that local people already earn their livelihood from mango orchards. “Both landowners and landless people get employment from these orchards. Now, uprooting them to benefit a corporate group is a conspiracy by the Modi-Nitish government,” he said.
Bhattacharya also accused local BJP legislators of intimidating farmers to prevent protests, warning them of jail. “On the day of the project inauguration, Mukhiya Deepak Singh was jailed, and several others were detained. The administration is pressuring farmers to vacate their land,” he said.
He emphasized that the Adani Power Project will destroy existing employment rather than creating new jobs and cause severe environmental damage. “The question for Modi ji is whether trees are planted in the name of ‘Mother’ or cut in the name of Adani?” Bhattacharya asked.
Key Points
1.From NTPC to Adani:
Land from seven panchayats was acquired in 2010 in the name of NTPC, but 15 years later it has been handed over to the Adani Group. Farmers say, “We gave our land to the Bihar government, not to Adani.”
2.Irregularities in Compensation:
Different compensation rates were given for the same khesra (plot). Farmers with incomplete paperwork have not received compensation. Many poor farmers have yet to receive any payment.
3.Displacement Issues:
Around 64 families in Kamalpur Tola are set to be displaced. They demand land-for-land replacement and proper rehabilitation.
4.Threat to Livelihoods:
Mango orchards provide employment to thousands of people for seven months of the year. The project threatens to destroy these livelihoods completely.
5.Environmental Hazard:
Existing power projects in Kahalgaon and Godda have already caused pollution; the Pirpainti project will follow the same path.
During the visit, victims of Ganga erosion also shared their plight. Entire wards (12, 13, and 10) of Rani Diyara Panchayat have been washed away by the river. These families have been living on railway land for the past decade but have not received permanent rehabilitation. Several people also reported that their names have been removed from the voter list.
Bhattacharya warned “Handing over fertile land in Pirpainti to Adani is a crime against farmers, workers, and the environment. The people will respond to this injustice.”
