Illegal Arrests in Singrauli (Madhya Pradesh):

21092013

Under The Scanner of CBI for Irregularities, Reliance in Connivance with the Local Administration Resorts To Human Rights Abuses

Singrauli: September 20, 2013: Srijan Lokhit Samiti condemns the arrest of the local leader Sati Prasad Razak from Siddhi Khurdha village who heads Sasan Ultra Mega Power Vistaphit Avam Mazdoor Sangh (Union Sasan Ultra Mega Power Affected and Labourers) who was arrested on September 18 night by police for planning a mass protest and demonstration against Reliance power plant, which was scheduled for 20th of September 2013. Late night at almost 10 p.m. police forcibly dragged him out of his house and arrested him without any warrant.

Sati Prasad was working at the Sasan Umpp as a contract labour along with many from the village, who also happened to be the project affected community. Recently, all local labour has been removed from their daily wage labour work at the Sasan UMPP and labour from other states has been brought for the same work. Sati Prasad along with other project affected people had been demanding for permanent jobs at the Project but instead of providing them with permanent jobs, they had been snatched of their daily wage contractual jobs as well. Sati Pasad who belongs to village Siddhi Khurdh along with other two affected people from the village Siddhi Khala, had been raising voice against this and had been planning a protest.

“This is an attempt to suppress the voices of the local communities. Reliance cannot use suppression as a tactic for long. They have to address the pertinent issues raised by the people, about jobs, compensation and health impacts. It’s a shame that the local administration is hand in glove with the company”, Awadhesh Kumar, President of Srijan Lokhit Samiti said.

In the past also, Sati Prasad has repeatedly raised the voice against the high handedness of plant officials and had submitted a letter to District Magistrate on 12/09/2013 stating that a mass protest against the management of Sasan UMPP will be carried out on 19/09/2013, if their demands will not be fulfilled. Their primary demands include:

All the project affected people should be given identity cards for which the Reliance Company had completed the work of taking photographs and details back in 2010.
Secondly, that all affected people who had been working at contractual posts should be provided permanent jobs and that even if the contractual job is over, the onus of providing jobs to affected people should be on the company.
Thirdly, the boundary wall of the Sasan project is being built around the road built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, and till the people are not adequately compensated for the road, the boundary wall should not be constructed.
Lastly, the affected people who were working as contractual labour have been paid less wages and also their services have been terminated in 2010, their entire amount due should be paid to them.

On 19th of September, in the morning police, led by Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Shri. Nandlal Samrath), barricaded the main plant gate of Sasan UMPP, as an agitated group of villagers marched towards the main gate. He urged the villagers to return back as they could be arrested under section 144 of Indian Penal Code. Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code states, “Whoever, being armed with any deadly weapon, or with anything which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, is a member of an unlawful assembly, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.” None of the villagers possessed any weapon and even if Section 141 of the Indian Penal Code, was imposed no such prior announcement was made. On 19th two other people who had been vocal against the atrocities of the company and were a part of the union and instrumental in getting people together for the protest march.

Sati Prasad along with the other two people arrested are in Waidhan police thana and have not been released and the police is refusing to give any information. When some of the people went to inquire at the Waidhan police station where they have been held the only information given was that they will be released only on bail. The police is still refusing to inform about the charges under which they have been held.

Srijan Lokhit Samiti condemns this highhandedness of the administration and the nexus of the company and the administration. The Samiti demands the immediate release of the arrested and demands that the administration should assist the local community in realizing their rightful demands.

Contact: Awadheshbhai: +91-9425013524
Email: awadhesh.sls@gmail.com

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Rock-solid Gangjee canters to six-stroke win

Sujjan, Zamal claim tied second place

Chandigarh, September 20, 2013: Kolkata’s Rahil Gangjee cantered to a comfortable six-stroke win at the PGTI Players Championship at Chandigarh Golf Club after a rock-solid performance in the final round. Gangjee returned a clinical two-under-70 in round four to end up with an impressive tournament total of 13-under-275. Chandigarh golfer Sujjan Singh claimed tied second position along with Bangladesh’s Md Zamal Hossain Mollah as both totaled seven-under-281.

Rahil Gangjee (67-71-67-70), the overnight leader by three strokes, was in control all through the final day. The 35-year-old hit his drive to the right on the second but managed to salvage a birdie after a good third shot and a 10-feet conversion on the green. Gangjee, known to be a proficient horse-rider, extracted another birdie from a tough situation on the 13^th where he landed his second shot in the bunker. He got out of trouble on the 13^th with a decent bunker shot and another 10-feet birdie putt.

The only blemish on Rahil’s card was the bogey on the 15^th as he found the trees on two occasions on that hole. The man from the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) finally sealed his fourth professional title after a par-save on the 17^th and an eight-foot birdie putt on the 18^th.

This happens to be Rahil’s third title on the domestic circuit. Gangjee, who went through the rigours of playing on theWeb.com Tour in the United States in 2011 and 2012, also has a win on the Asian Tour that he achieved back in 2004 in China.

“I hit some solid shots through the day. The intensity was there till the end and I didn’t let go of any chances. I knew I had it in the bag after my closest competitor Zamal bogeyed the 15^th. It’s great to win after such a long gap,” said Gangjee, who ended a five-year victory drought.”

He added, “I had suffered a huge setback at the European Tour’s 2010 Avantha Masters where I was leading on the final day with five holes to go. I did not the grab my opportunities on that occasion and finally finished outside the top-10. I’ve grown from that experience as it taught me how to handle pressure while leading. My stint on the Web.com Tour in the United States over the last two seasons has also made me more competitive.

“I’d like to thank my sponsor Mr. Dilip Thomas for supporting me. I also attribute my success to my swing coach Mr. Ajai Gupta and my mental coach Mr. Pradeep Agarwal, who have both helped me raise my game. This win will help me perform better on the Asian Tour,” said Gangjee, the only golfer with four sub-par rounds this week.

Sujjan Singh (71-69-73-68) of Chandigarh gave the home crowd something to cheer about as he closed with a 68 to finish joint second at seven-under-281. Sujjan’s final round featured five birdies against a lone bogey.

Sujjan said, “I was a bit rusty coming into this tournament but my performance got better with each passing day. I hit it well today.”

Md Zamal Hossain Mollah of Bangladesh (72-70-67-72) joined Sujjan Singh in tied second place after posting a sedate 72 that included four birdies and four bogeys.

Jyoti Randhawa (68-74-74-67) climbed from overnight tied 15^th to tied fourth after signing off with a brilliant bogey-free 67 in the final round which also happened to be the day’s best score. He totaled five-under-283 for the event.

Chandigarh’s Akshay Sharma (69-67-72-75) dropped from overnight second position to tied fourth after he carded a 75 in the final round.

  

Randhawa and Sharma were joined by Abhijit Singh Chadha (69-72-70-72), another Chandigarh golfer and Panchkula’s Angad Cheema (73-72-70-68) in tied fourth place. While Abhijit returned a 72 on the final day, Angad submitted a card of 68.