Electrosteel Steels Limited (ESL), now acquired by Vedanta, received Environmental Clearance (EC) to set up a steel plant in Bokaro in 2008. The steel plant was proposed to be constructed on 2,000 acres of land in Siyaljori and Bhagaband villages. Since the beginning, the project was embroiled in two major disputes - one, involving the encroachment of forestland by ESL and two, failure to compensate the villagers for their land acquired for the project.
From March 2009 to March 2017, the forest department of Bokaro filed 53 cases against ESL, alleging encroachment of 174 hectares of forestland under the Jharkhand Public Land Encroachment Act, 1956. The case went to the High Court of Jharkhand. In 2018, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) revoked the EC to the project and the Jharkhand Pollution Control Board rejected its ‘Consent to Operate’. However, the Jharkhand High Court stayed the rejection order and allowed the plant to operate.
Since 2012, the plant was also surrounded by controversy over the acquisition of private land from the farmers of Chandankyari village. The farmers had demanded better compensation rates from ESL. Many of them were marginal farmers, who said they lost their land at much lower rates than the market price. They also demanded jobs in the company and organised regular blockades to protest. They claimed that they were not informed about the purpose of the land acquisition in advance.
Following the protests, the company asked the farmers to negotiate on the issue to reach a long-term settlement. Based on a report, some of the affected families were later given better compensation, and ESL was forced to pay minimum wages to its 700 contractual workers employed from Chandankyari in its plant.
In December 2019, the MoEF&CC regularised the encroached forestland and granted Forest Clearance to ESL. By regularising, the ministry deemed the encroachment legal, with a payment of a fine on ESL citing that "such instances do not happen in future".
Between 2021 to 2025, unrest around the plant continued, driven by safety lapses, job-related grievances and environmental concerns. In 2021, three workers died in a major industrial accident, prompting demands for a full inquiry. Over the next several years, displaced families repeatedly protested over pending compensation, lack of employment, and allegations of pollution of local water bodies such as the Ijri river.
Demonstrations frequently turned confrontational: several clashes occurred at the plant gate in 2023, injuring protesters, security personnel and police.
In late 2023, the agitation was briefly withdrawn after an agreement in which ESL and district officials promised phased job appointments for displaced persons, but protests resumed as demands remained unmet.
By early 2025, tensions escalated again, culminating in an April 2025 lathi-charge in which one protester reportedly died. Complaints also continued regarding poor conditions at the resettlement colony, with limited services, few families willing to relocate, and disputes over eligibility cut-off dates for rehabilitation benefits.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for more compensation than promised
Demand for employment
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common and Private
Forest and Non-Forest
What was the action taken by the police?
Detention
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
15
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Released from detention
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
2022
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Yes
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Agricultural land, Other Natural Resource extraction/dependence
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
15000
Type of investment:
Investment Made
Year of Estimation
2008
Has the Conflict Ended?
Yes
When did it end?
December 2019
Why did the conflict end?
The land acquisition matter was resolved after the company negotiated with farmers to offer them better compensation and employment with minimum wages. The encroachment issue was also resolved after the environment ministry regularised the encroached land and imposed a penalty for the same in 2019.
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Other, Environmental Law, Land Acquisition Laws, Forest and Scheduled Area Governance Laws, Forest and Scheduled Area Governance Laws
Legislations/Policies Involved
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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:
Incorrect estimation of compensation
Legal Status:
In Court
Status of Case In Court
Pending
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
High Court of Jharkhand
Case Number
W.P. (C) No. 1873 of 2018 with W.P. (C) No. 4850/2018
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Yes
Reported Details of the Violation:
In May 2023, more than two dozen youths were detained by police during a protest by landowners demanding jobs. In a November 2023 clash, approximately 15 individuals were detained after protesters tried to breach the plant gate; this followed a confrontation with security guards and police, and authorities imposed Section 144 in a 5 km radius. Similarly, 15 people were detained in the clash on 20 August 2025. [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ranchi/cops-among-several-hurt-in-clash-over-demand-for-jobs-in-bokaro/articleshow/123414406.cms]
Date of Violation
August 19, 2025
Location of Violation
Bokaro, Jharkhand
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Jharkhand Forest Department
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
No
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Electrosteel Steels Limited; Vedanta Limited
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
No
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Farmers
What was the action taken by the police?
Detention
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
15
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Released from detention
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?
