The protest by villagers against a proposed nuclear power plant in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district received political backing on Sunday, with Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar pledging to raise concerns over safety, health and tribal rights in the state assembly.
Singhar visited the protest site in Sirmour, where tribal residents and other villagers from the Sarai-Rojhouhi area have been staging a Jal Satyagraha against the proposed project. Residents of Sarai Kala and Rojhouhi have opposed the plant, citing its potential impact on their lives and surroundings.
The opposition leader said the project was proposed in a densely populated area and questioned the government over possible risks related to nuclear pollution. He also accused the government of disregarding concerns raised by tribal communities and other villagers. Singhar said the opposition was not against development but would resist what he described as destruction carried out in its name.
The protest has also been linked to the death of Vimla Kol, whose health deteriorated during the agitation. Singhar paid tribute to Kol, met her family and announced financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh. He also questioned the tehsildar and naib tehsildar about an alleged delay in submitting a report concerning her death.
When the tehsildar said an oral report had been submitted, Singhar expressed displeasure and sought a clear response. The report does not specify whether a formal written inquiry has been ordered into Kol’s death or whether the administration has established a link between her health deterioration and the protest.
Singhar said questions concerning jal, jungle and zameen, as well as the rights and continued existence of tribal communities, could not be ignored. His visit places the local protest within a wider state-level political debate over how major infrastructure projects are assessed, communicated and implemented in areas where communities fear disruption to their lives and surroundings.
The proposed plant’s project capacity, construction schedule, land requirement, rehabilitation plan and formal safety assessment were not detailed in the report. The account also does not state the government’s response to Singhar’s allegations or identify the agency responsible for executing the project.
Singhar said he would raise the villagers’ concerns in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly and oppose the project. The next formal steps will depend on the government’s response to the protest, the submission of any report on Kol’s death and the presentation of project-related details before the assembly and affected communities.
