A Delhi-based NGO has started a project from the iron-ore-rich Saranda area in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum, to make tribal villagers aware of environment and mining laws.

Members of Environics Trust as part of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) project on Thursday started the legal awareness session in the local tribal dialect (Ho language) at villages in Noamundi (hosting Tata Steel’s iron ore mines) and Gua (hosting Steel Authority of India Limited iron ore mines).

“We did puppet shows and skits through our team members on environment and mining laws at the villages in tribal dialect. The purpose was to create awareness (particularly legal) and access to remedies for communities adversely affected by mining operations on key priority issues related to land acquisition, environmental concerns and participation in public processes as part of social and environmental impact assessment,” said program coordinator Sonal Tiwary who is also a practising lawyer at Jharkhand High Court in Ranchi. Read More