They represent 50 households who own 50 acres of a total of 200 acres of land that had been acquired by the UCIL in 2005 for their Turamdhih mine in E

Villager want UCIL to pay higher compensation for acquired land
27 July 2011
As landowners all over the country protest against land acquisitions, a section of the residents of Dhedaga are agitating for the Unranium Corporation of India Limited(UCIL) to take possession of their already acquired land.
The Dhodaga Gram Sabha sat outside the Raj Bhavan on a day-long fast to press for their demands. They represent 50 households who own 50 acres of a total of 200 acres of land that had been acquired by the UCIL in 2005 for their Turamdhih mine in East Singhbhum.
We want enhanced rehabilitation compensation and employment packages' as per the company policy, which was awarded for land acquisitions in Mahuldih, said the Gram Sabha secretary sunil Tudu.
The Dhodga villager's demands do not match UCIL's policy. As per UCIL sources, the policy adopted for packages in Mohuldih was different due to various factors, such as including grade of land and quantity acquired.
UCIL has already take possession of 150 acres of land and were operating a uranium mine. According to UCIL sources, the rest of the 50 acres was to required and though compensation was paid, the company never took possession of the remaining land.
This leaves the owners of the 50 acres in a fix as they claim that they are now unable to till the land and have been forced to take up jobs as co tract labourers.
Further, sources in the UCIL claim that the owners of the remaining 50 acres are demanding richer packages than the owners of the 150 acres, who have bbeen given compensation and employment packages as per UCIL policy. According to the sources, if those agitating are given more than others, too, would demand more.
The policy adopted at that time was one job per acre. 'the dhodaga villagers have asked for three jobs for every two acres.
The mines and blast sites are more that the stipulated 300 meters from the remaining six houses in the dhodaga village, the source said. However, the villagers are apprehensive of uranium radiation. Though there are no cense of acute radiation syndrome or ARS reported in that area, it may be a cause for concern.
UCIL disagrees on its website where it claims that uranium mined there is of low-grade and of low radio-active content and does not create any radiation related diseases.UCIL pins the blame on media for such myths. However, UCIL has not provided any surveys or studies on radiation levels at the Turamdih mines.
In 2010, after a two-year training at the UCIL industrial training institute, these villagers were told that the I institute did not have affiliation with UCIL, and they wouldn't be given certificates. Soon after the institute received affiliation and for certification, they were asked to admit themselves into the institute for further two years.
Since their demands have not been met, the villagers have shut down operations at the mine since February 12 and are in no mood to cooperate. If their agitations go unheard, the next step would be to gherao the Raj Bhavan.