Respect Jharkhand’s culture: Soren to Centre on naming mining projects

Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has urged the Centre to respect the state’s culture, tradition, and history while naming coal mining projects, an official said on Tuesday.

Soren wrote a letter to Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi and requested him to name the various mining projects including private coal projects operated by Coal India Limited (CIL) according to the local place, village, panchayat, block, great personalities or scenic places of Jharkhand, an official release said.

Soren alleged that the Government of India is not naming the mineral projects run by CIL, private companies, and other public undertakings on the basis of sentiments, tradition, and culture of the local public.

Citing the examples of mining projects — Amrapali Coal Project, Ashok Coal Project and Magadh Coal Project — operating in Chatra district, Soren said that the companies are going against the public sentiment and not giving due respect to the culture, tradition and history of the local people, it stated.

The chief minister mentioned in the letter that the identity of Jharkhand has been established as a mineral-rich state and it has contributed significantly to the development of the country.

“A major part of the revenue received from minerals comes from coal itself, which is being continuously exploited. It is requested that due respect should be given to the culture, tradition and history of this state,” he said, according to the release.