In early December 2025, tensions escalated in Parsodi Kala village in Surguja district of Chhattisgarh over the expansion of the Amera Opencast Coal Mine operated by South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL). The Amera project, located on a mining lease area of 668.184 hectares, received environmental clearance in February 2005 for a production capacity of 1 million tonnes per annum.
The mine had proposed an expansion in 2015, but no public developments followed, and the proposal was reportedly shelved and later cancelled. According to SECL’s 2022 annual report, progress at the Amera project continued to face delays due to difficulties in taking possession of land. Villagers had opposed further expansion of the mine since 2014 and repeatedly passed Gram Sabha resolutions refusing to give land for expansion arguing that despite the area being a Fifth Schedule region, land acquisition for expansion proceeded without their consent.
On 3 December 2025, villagers gathered at the mine site to protest ongoing activities. According to officials, clashes broke out after protesters allegedly entered the mine premises and began pelting stones. More than 30 police personnel and several villagers were injured in the confrontation. Police resorted to lathicharge and tear gas to disperse the crowd, following which mining operations were temporarily suspended and later partially resumed the same evening.
Villagers, however, presented a different account. According to residents interviewed by a 10-member Congress investigation team, police arrived in the fields on the morning of 3 December to remove women working in their agricultural lands. Villagers alleged that male police personnel beat women protesters and demolished a local temple during the operation. Seven women were arrested and jailed, and later recounted their experiences to the investigation team.
SECL issued a statement saying that land for the Amera mine was acquired in 2001 under the Coal Bearing (Acquisition and Development) Act, 1957, and that mining operations began in 2011. It added that compensation and resettlement benefits amounting to approximately Rs 10 crore have been paid to project-affected persons in Parsodi Kala village and employment is being provided through district-level rehabilitation mechanisms. SECL also alleged that resistance to the project was being instigated by individuals with vested interests.
Villagers disputed these claims, stating that many residents have refused compensation because they do not wish to part with agricultural land that sustains their livelihood. Several residents said compensation cannot replace land passed down through generations.
On 12 December 2025, Congress leader Adityaeshwar Sharan Singh Dev visited Parsodi Kala village and assured villagers that legal action would be pursued regarding displacement, rehabilitation and consent issues. Civil society groups, including the Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, demanded government intervention and alleged violations of constitutional and statutory protections.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Refusal to give up land for the project
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common and Private
Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)
What was the action taken by the police?
Arrest
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
7
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Project underway despite protests
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Yes
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Agricultural land, Residential area
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Yes
Source/Reference
According to SECL’s 2022 annual report, the project is delayed due to delay in possession of land.
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
335.97
Type of investment:
Investment Expected
Year of Estimation
2002
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Constitutional Law, Forest and Scheduled Area Governance Laws, Land Acquisition Laws, Environmental Law
Legislations/Policies Involved
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
No
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Non-implementation/violation of PESA
Controversial land acquisition by the government
Non-consultation with stakeholders
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Lathicharge/teargas/pellets
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
On 3 December 2025, villagers protesting the Amera mine expansion entered the mine premises, following which police officers lathi-charged and used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Official accounts state that more than 30 police personnel were injured in stone pelting, while villagers also sustained injuries during the clash. Villagers and political fact-finding teams allege that police action included the forcible removal of women from fields, baton charges, demolition of a local temple, and the arrest of seven women.
Date of Violation
December 2, 2025
Location of Violation
Parsodi Kala village
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Additional Collector
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL)
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
No
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
What was the action taken by the police?
Arrest
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
7
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
