Singrauli: In Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, the expansion of coal mining is forcing thousands of families to leave behind homes and neighbourhoods they have known for years, with some residents reportedly taking the painful step of demolishing their own houses.
The relocation is linked to the expansion of Northern Coalfields Ltd’s Jayant coal mine. The company has been preparing a major rehabilitation and resettlement exercise in Morwa township, an area believed to hold around 600 million tonnes of mineable coal. Earlier plans indicated that about 30,000 families could be affected, with around 22,000 houses and structures requiring relocation.
Homes reduced to memories
Reports of advertisements offering to demolish houses have highlighted the unusual reality facing residents. For families, however, removing a house is not simply a construction job. It means dismantling places connected to years of memories, livelihoods and community life.
The proposed relocation covers about 927 hectares, including private, government and forest land. Northern Coalfields Ltd has estimated the rehabilitation and resettlement project could cost more than Rs 20,000 crore, with later estimates putting the overall project at around Rs 24,000 crore.
Compensation remains a key concern
The scale of the displacement has also brought questions about compensation, rehabilitation and the future of affected families. Singrauli has experienced repeated displacement over decades because of mining and power projects, with research estimating that more than 300,000 people have been displaced from the region over the past 65 years.
While authorities and the company have been working on rehabilitation measures, disputes over compensation have continued to surface in the wider Singrauli region.
For residents preparing to leave, the coal beneath their homes represents economic value for the country. But above it stand homes that represent something far more personal — family histories, memories and a lifetime of belonging.