Jharkhand

• 18 Aug 2022

Approved the Proposal Not to Re-notify the Netarhat Field Firing Range

Why In news?

• On August 17, 2022, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren agreed to the proposal not to re-notify the Netarhat Field Firing Range keeping in mind the public interest. This decision of the Chief Minister will end the struggle of thousands of tribals for 30 years.

Key Points

• The Netarhat Field Firing Range, which started in 1964, was extended in 1999 by the then Bihar government.
• In protest against netarhat field firing range, about 39 revenue villages of Latehar district had also submitted a memorandum to the Governor through the general assembly, in which it was told by the people affected by Netarhat field firing range that Latehar and Gumla districts come under the Fifth Schedule. The PESA Act 1996 is applicable here, under which the Gram Sabha has constitutional rights.
• Under this, the village heads of the affected area of Netarhat Field Firing Range had decided not to provide land inside the village boundary for netarhat field firing range by organizing gram sabha on the demand of the affected public. It had also requested for cancellation of the project by duly publishing the notification of Netarhat Field Firing Range without further extension.
• It is worth mentioning that the public affected by netarhat field firing range was continuously protesting for the last about 30 years to cancel the notification of Netarhat field firing range. At present, like every year, protests were held on March 22-23 against the Netarhat Field Firing Range.