The Birbhum district administration on Friday handed over the details of the Deocha-Pachami rehabilitation package in writing to over 250 tribal leaders, heads of tribal hamlets and other stakeholders, assuring them that the state government would not force anyone for land, and instead reach every doorstep with an appeal for help to start the coal mine project.

Senior officials, headed by Birbhum district magistrate Bidhan Ray, police chief Nagendra Nath Tripathi and zilla parishad chief Bikash Roychowdhury, officially announced the details of the rehabilitation package before prominent tribal leaders, heads of 18 tribal hamlets, and others.

All participants of the meeting were given the details of the package in writing in three languages, English, Bengali, and the Ol-Chiki script.

“This is the first time we handed over the official copy of the rehabilitation package for the stakeholders of the Deocha-Pachami coal mine project. It is a first step and discussions will go on. We asked the stakeholders to discuss the package in their own areas and come back to us in case of suggestions,” said district magistrate Ray.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on November 9 announced the rehabilitation package for the Deocha-Pachami coal mine project in the Assembly, and said her government would not use coercion to get land, such as in Singur during the Left regime.

“We have clarified to people that the government is not going to acquire their land with force, but take their land with due consent and give them the best return for it. We will go from hamlet to hamlet, and our officials would reach every doorstep to clear the doubts of people before starting the work,” added Ray.

The state government has announced that the first phase of work for the coal mine would start on government-owned land and it would purchase the rest from the local residents in phases.

The West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited, the state-run power generation utility that would implement the coal mine project, will open a camp office to address questions and doubts of people from Monday.

“The camp office will be started out of Suri’s WBPDCL guest house. Later, we will open another office near the villages (to be affected by the project),” said a senior official.

Sources said the government was keenly awaiting the response of the tribal people.

“In today’s (Friday’s) meeting, we only listened to them (the officials). We need to discuss it (the package) among ourselves. We will come up with our proposals later,” said Ghasiram Hembram, district president of the Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal.

Tribal leaders Rabin Soren and Sunil Soren of the Birbhum Adivasi Gaonta were also present at the meeting.

“Today (Friday) was not for asking questions, as it was the first time we got copies of the rehabilitation package. Government officials assured us that they would listen to our suggestions too,” said tribal leader Sunil Soren.