Raigarh: Lailunga MLA Vidyawati Sidar was arrested this morning by police while supporting villagers protesting the large-scale deforestation being carried out in Murdagaon and surrounding forest areas of Lailunga constituency. The deforestation is reportedly linked to a coal mining project recently allotted to a private industrialist. For weeks, villagers from more than a dozen villages have been opposing the felling of thousands of trees, citing environmental and livelihood concerns.
This morning, Congress MLA Vidyawati Sidar arrived to express solidarity with the local protesters but was taken into custody by the police. Her arrest sparked outrage among villagers, who strongly opposed the action.
Forest, the Lifeline of Tribal Communities
In the Tamnar region’s Murdagaon area, deforestation has begun for an industrial group's coal mining project. To facilitate this, a heavy police presence has been deployed. According to local residents, the region is home to dense forests rich in biodiversity. These forests are not only critical for environmental balance but also form the backbone of the livelihoods of the indigenous tribal communities living there.
Deforestation Without Consent Raises Alarms
Villagers allege that the deforestation is being carried out without their consent or proper information. Many have described it as an assault not just on the environment, but also on their culture and way of life. Locals have expressed anger at what they see as a contradiction in government policy — promoting environmental protection on one hand while allowing forest destruction for industrial interests on the other.
The protest highlights a growing tension between developmental projects and indigenous rights, with calls for more transparent, inclusive decision-making in matters affecting traditional forest lands.