By D N Singh
It was well way back this district, Jagatsinghpur, in Odisha had faced an agitation opposing the setting up of the giant Steel plant by a South Korean steel major POSCO. When untold number of betel farmers rose up to build a mammoth protest against the plan to save their betel vines which constitute the fundamental strength of the local economy.
Now there is another agitation which has raised its head protesting a project by another steel major Jindal Steel Works.
It is not the question of one or two but, betel farmers numbering about 500, of village Dhinkia, in Jagatsinghpur, faced the wrath of the administration.
Betel grooves are not merely about some families’ income but the betel grooves in this entire region serve as the principal factor in creating the basis for the self-sustenance economy.
During Posco also it was the betel grooves which had remained in the firing line of an industrial invasion by a South Korean company. More than 3,000 farmers of betel had exhibited the strenuous will and succeed to send back the company from there, about five years back.
Lands were acquired but they could retain the maximum area with betel vines with them.
The present case is of an Indian company. But the common throbbing nerve is the local economy which has been supporting the betel farmers for decades who earn about Rs.70,000 a month by selling betel leaves. Betel leaves from this area have a high demand outside the state as well as in some countries outside.
Recollecting what happened on January 14 2022, Kokila Sana appears to be still in a state of shock. When over 500 protesters had faced the police action in which many were injured and betel grooves spanning over thousand acres.
The quiet patch of betel farming suddenly turned into a vicious clash in which police almost beat black and blue, whoever resisted the demolition of the betel vines.
With a side-glance at the razed betel vines, Kokila’s 45 years old husband, Sudershan, said that the “one-time compensation offered by the government can never replace the safety of their steady monthly income of over 50,000 a month from the betel farming.
“We are not used to any other occupation except betel farming and the money offered would not last with us always” lamented Kokila.
The face-off is still far from over. Tension brews within each betel farmer. The fear of more police actions stalks them every day.
Development and livelihood have to be complimentary to each other.
It would be, perhaps a prudent choice for the government to take the villagers of Dhinkia into confidence and placate them to an agreeing point.
