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Time of India
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Magnet crisis: Auto giants rush to China for rare earth rescue
The Indian automotive industry is preparing to send a high-level delegation to China next week to address escalating concerns over delays in rare earth magnet imports, people familiar with the development said. They noted that China's new export restrictions on rare earth materials, effective April 4, have created procedural bottlenecks, resulting in delayed shipments to Indian manufacturers. Several consignments of India-bound rare earth magnets - critical for electric motors and various automotive components - are reportedly stuck at Chinese ports, raising fears of production disruptions as early as the first week of June. A joint delegation from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) and the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) will meet with senior Chinese government officials to expedite necessary clearances and restore the flow of shipments, people cited above said. India's commerce and external affairs ministries are currently coordinating with their counterparts in Beijing through the Indian embassy to facilitate the meetings. "The situation is serious, but we are receiving strong support from the government. We are hopeful of an early resolution," said Vinnie Mehta, director general of ACMA. China accounts for an estimated 70-80per cent of global rare earth processing and over 90per cent of rare earth magnet production, making automakers heavily dependent on imports from the country. Automakers and component suppliers warn that further delay in getting the magnets could severely impact vehicle production, especially in the electric mobility segment. "The rare earth situation is a very difficult one," Rakesh Sharma, executive director at Bajaj Auto , said during the company's recent earnings call. He flagged the "onerous" approval process that currently involves multiple certifications from Indian ministries, the Chinese embassy, and Chinese provincial authorities. While the supply crunch poses a serious challenge, some players have begun diversifying their sourcing strategy. JBM Group, a leading electric bus manufacturer, has started procuring rare earth magnets from other Asian countries. "Post-pandemic, we undertook a comprehensive risk assessment that led us to explore alternative supply bases beyond China," said Nishant Arya, vice-chairman of JBM Group. With inventory levels depleting rapidly, Siam and ACMA have been in active dialogue with the commerce ministry. As reported by Reuters on May 29, Siam informed government officials that component makers' inventories could run out by the end of May and urged intervention at the highest level, including from the Prime Minister's Office. Representatives from major OEMs and suppliers, particularly those involved in motor manufacturing, are expected to be part of the industry delegation headed for China.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Magnet crisis: Auto giants rush to China for rare earth rescue
The Indian automotive industry is preparing to send a high-level delegation to China next week to address escalating concerns over delays in rare earth magnet imports, people familiar with the development said. They noted that China's new export restrictions on rare earth materials, effective April 4, have created procedural bottlenecks, resulting in delayed shipments to Indian manufacturers. Several consignments of India-bound rare earth magnets - critical for electric motors and various automotive components - are reportedly stuck at Chinese ports, raising fears of production disruptions as early as the first week of June. A joint delegation from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) and the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) will meet with senior Chinese government officials to expedite necessary clearances and restore the flow of shipments, people cited above said. India's commerce and external affairs ministries are currently coordinating with their counterparts in Beijing through the Indian embassy to facilitate the meetings. "The situation is serious, but we are receiving strong support from the government. We are hopeful of an early resolution," said Vinnie Mehta, director general of ACMA. China accounts for an estimated 70-80% of global rare earth processing and over 90% of rare earth magnet production, making automakers heavily dependent on imports from the country. Automakers and component suppliers warn that further delay in getting the magnets could severely impact vehicle production, especially in the electric mobility segment. "The rare earth situation is a very difficult one," Rakesh Sharma, executive director at Bajaj Auto , said during the company's recent earnings call. He flagged the "onerous" approval process that currently involves multiple certifications from Indian ministries, the Chinese embassy, and Chinese provincial authorities. While the supply crunch poses a serious challenge, some players have begun diversifying their sourcing strategy. JBM Group, a leading electric bus manufacturer, has started procuring rare earth magnets from other Asian countries. "Post-pandemic, we undertook a comprehensive risk assessment that led us to explore alternative supply bases beyond China," said Nishant Arya, vice-chairman of JBM Group. With inventory levels depleting rapidly, Siam and ACMA have been in active dialogue with the commerce ministry. As reported by Reuters on May 29, Siam informed government officials that component makers' inventories could run out by the end of May and urged intervention at the highest level, including from the Prime Minister's Office. Representatives from major OEMs and suppliers, particularly those involved in motor manufacturing, are expected to be part of the industry delegation headed for China.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Delhi govt launches 400 electric buses under DEVi scheme
The Delhi government on Friday inaugurated 400 electric buses under the Delhi Electric Vehicle Initiative (DEVI). The introduction of these DEVI buses is part of a larger effort by the Delhi government to expand its electric mobility system. Currently, the city has over 2000 electric buses in operation. The Chief Minister of Delhi, Rekha Gupta , and the Union Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, jointly flagged off the new fleet. The buses are equipped with an Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS). Delhi CM said that 2,080 more electric buses will be added by the end of the year. JBM Group manufactured 120 of the 400 new buses, which will operate from the Ghazipur Depot. With this, JBM now has over 650 electric buses deployed in the capital. Nishant Arya, Vice Chairman of JBM Auto, commented, 'Today's launch is a reflection of how collaborative innovation between government and industry can redefine urban mobility . At JBM, we are not just manufacturing electric buses—we are building a holistic ecosystem that integrates clean energy, intelligent transport systems, and digital infrastructure.' Features of the buses The buses include a Real-Time Passenger Information System . This system provides live location tracking. CCTV surveillance is installed for onboard security. Stop request buttons are available for passenger convenience. The buses are equipped with Fire Detection & Alarm Systems. Vehicle Health Monitoring Systems are in place for proactive maintenance. The driver's area features ergonomic dashboards. These dashboards are designed for minimal distraction and maximum control. The ECOLIFE is designed to be a driver-centric vehicle.
Mint
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Mint
Adani TotalEnergies, Jio-bp, JBM eye Fortum's EV charging biz
New Delhi: Finnish state-run energy power utility Fortum Oyj's efforts to offload a majority stake in its electric vehicle (EV) charging network business in India has zeroed in on three potential suitors–Adani TotalEnergies E-mobility Ltd (ATEL), Reliance BP Mobility Ltd (Jio-bp) and Gurugram-headquartered electric bus manufacturer JBM Group–according to two people aware of the development. 'Adani TotalEnergies, Jio-bp and JBM Group have signed NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) and are evaluating the deal, post which bids will be submitted," one of the two people cited above said, requesting anonymity. London-based Opus Corporate Finance Llp is running the transaction (termed Butterfly) for the EV charging business GLIDA, formerly known as Fortum Charge & Drive India. The development comes in the backdrop of Fortum's renewable energy platform Fortum India Pvt Ltd (FIPL), including carbon credits, being acquired by New York-based I Squared Capital-backed Hexa Climate Solutions, as reported by Mint earlier. A formal announcement to this effect was made on Wednesday. The latest deal, once it fructifies, would signal the exit of Fortum Oyj from India, a market it entered in 2012. 'GLIDA is the last transaction left for Fortum in India after the FIPL sale to Hexa," the person cited above said. GLIDA has around 180 EV charging stations with 850 charging points across the country. ATEL, on its part, has 3,401 installed EV public charging points. A Fortum Corporation spokesperson in an emailed response said, 'As a stock listed company, we do not comment on any market rumours or speculations." Queries emailed to the spokespersons of ATEL, Reliance BP Mobility Ltd, JBM Group, and Opus Corporate Finance on Tuesday afternoon remained unanswered till press time. ATEL is a subsidiary of Adani Total Gas Ltd, which is a joint venture (JV) between Adani Group and France's TotalEnergies. Reliance BP Mobility Ltd is a JV between Reliance Industries Ltd and bp, and has installed around 500 EV charging stations with 5,000 charging points. JBM Group's flagship firm JBM Auto Ltd. is one of India's largest electric bus manufacturers, with the group operating over 1,000 fast chargers. Fortum Oyj had earlier announced that it would limit its exposure in India and was evaluating alternatives for its remaining operations in the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. This resulted in gas supply disruption and substantive losses to Fortum's majority-owned Uniper, which was subsequently sold to the German government at a loss of around €6 billion. Also, the Russian Federation confiscated Fortum's Russian plants valued at around €5 billion. In transactions that were announced starting 8 June 2018 to 3 May 2024, Fortum India has sold 700 MW of solar power plants to Actis Llp; another 230 MW to UK Climate Investments and Elite Alfred Berg; and 185 MW to Malaysia's state-run oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Bhd or Petronas's unit Gentari. The current transaction comes in the backdrop of Hyderabad-headquartered AM Green acquiring Oulu-headquartered biotechnology firm Chempolis Oy, in which Fortum has a stake, and also Fortum and Chempolis's 50% stake in their joint venture–Assam Bio Refinery Private Limited, as reported by Mint earlier. AM Green was set up by the founders of Greenko Group–Mahesh Kolli and Anil Kumar Chalamalasetty. India currently has around 25,202 EV public charging stations (EVPCS), with close to a fifth or ₹ 2,000 crore of a ₹ 10,900 crore central government scheme allocated for setting them up. Under the PM E-drive (PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement) scheme, the government plans to set up 22,100 public charging stations for electric cars; 48,400 stations for electric bikes, scooters, and three-wheelers; and 1,800 stations for electric trucks and buses by 31 March 2026. India has announced a number of schemes for promoting green mobility–including the ₹ 3,435.33-crore PM e-Bus Sewa-Payment Security Mechanism (PSM) scheme for deploying 38,000 electric buses; and a ₹ 18,100-crore PLI scheme for advanced chemistry cell (ACC) manufacturing, among others. India's Economic Survey presented earlier this year said that electric mobility is an important element in the country's path to net zero. 'Mitigating road transport emissions, which comprise nearly 75 per cent of the emissions from the transportation sector, is critical to India achieving its Net Zero goals by 2070," it noted. 'China's vertical integration across the entire electric vehicle (EV) supply chain, from mining to EV manufacturing, has enabled it to retain its global dominance in this sector," the survey added. Experts said all stakeholders should play their role. 'Highways should be constructed with EV charging stations every 25 km and the capex for that must be accommodated in the highway cost, which hardly makes any difference in the per-km cost of highways," said Reji Kumar Pillai, president of India Smart Grid Forum, an energy transition think tank. 'EV manufacturers' consortiums could also promote setting up of chargers nationwide. In Japan, a portion of the cost of EV is allocated to the fund for setting up chargers," Pillai added.
The Hindu
21-04-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Maharashtra Solar Power Projects Displace 130 Families in Jalgaon
Published : Apr 21, 2025 19:31 IST - 14 MINS READ Sitting in her one-room raw-brick house in Bodhare village, in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district, Nimbabai Bima Savde, 55, was grieving her husband's death. 'He died of stress,' she said. 'He was deceived into signing a land deal by a broker who claimed it was for the division of our family land.' But in reality, their farmland had been sold to a solar power company. 'We depended on the land for survival; now we are struggling,' said Nimbabai, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste (SC) community. Nimbabai's family is among 130-odd farming families, spread across five villages (Lonje, Bodhare, Shivapur, Pimparkhed, and Ranjangaon), who allege that solar power companies deceived them into selling their land. An analysis of land records and satellite imagery reveals that the solar plants in question—currently owned by the JBM Group and the Avaada Group—are in violation of several extant laws and regulations. Spanning 1,100 acres (1 acre = 0.4 hectare), the plants cover a stretch of around 3.6 kilometres, north of the hills of the Gautala Autramghat Wildlife Sanctuary. All the affected families belong to nomadic tribes, SCs, and minority communities and have been living in the area for at least seven decades. In the 1970s, they were allotted land under Class II category of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code of 1966. This category of land is designated for specific purposes, such as agriculture, and any sale, transfer, or conversion requires government approval. In February 1986, the State government notified the Gautala Autramghat Wildlife Sanctuary, designating substantial portions of Shivapur and Bodhare villages as a protected area. Subsequently, in December 2016, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change designated a 1 sq km area around the sanctuary as an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ), listing Shivapur and Bodhare among the notified villages. (ESZs operate as buffer or transition zones around protected areas such as wildlife sanctuaries and national parks.) Also Read | Did Azure Power grab tribal farming land in Assam for its solar plant? Once an ESZ is notified, certain activities, such as commercial ventures, agriculture, and infrastructure development, are regulated or managed on the basis of the requirements of the specific ESZ. For farming families who continued to lawfully cultivate the land, neither of these notifications had any legal impact on the land's use status. The affected farmers say they were coerced into selling their land under false pretences. The farmers allege that brokers and company agents exploited the land's ambiguous legal status to pressure and intimidate them, claiming it was government-owned and would be taken away regardless. The farmers were talked into signing deals at prices below government valuation, with promises of jobs and fair compensation that were not kept. In at least one case, land was fraudulently sold using impersonators in place of deceased farmers. Exploitation of vulnerable communities Amid the worldwide push for renewable energy, the allegations made by these farmers in Jalgaon raise critical questions about land rights, highlighting the exploitation of vulnerable communities and disregard for environmental regulations. In a November 2024 report titled 'The Hidden Cost of Green Growth', the data research firm Land Conflict Watch analysed the rising incidence of land-related conflicts triggered by the push for 'green' energy. The report documented 31 renewable energy project–related conflicts in India from 2005 to 2023 and found that all of them occurred in rural areas and almost 60 per cent of them involved land used for agriculture. About 20 per cent of the conflicts also involved violations of environmental law. In Jalgaon, residents say that brokers and agents representing the companies began approaching them shortly before the 2016 ESZ notification, urging them to sell their land. Interviews with dozens of farmers across the five villages threw up a pattern of coercion: brokers claiming that the government owned the land and that it could be taken away at any time, and urging farmers to accept the price offered by the companies rather than risk legal battles for compensation. The farmers, who depended solely on agriculture, were reluctant to sell. Many also worked as seasonal farmhands outside the district for six months in the year and came back to the village to work on their own land for the rest of the year, earning between Rs.3 lakh and Rs.5 lakh annually. Company representatives and brokers visited repeatedly, promising employment in the plants to every family. When the farmers demanded fair prices, the brokers apparently promised varying amounts per acre. The story of Harsingh Sakru Rathod In 2016, Harsingh Sakru Rathod, 70, of Bodhare village was approached by an 'agent', identified by Bhimrao, an affected farmer and activist, as Gulab Babu Rathod, a resident of the same village. Harsingh asked for Rs.12 lakh an acre, but the broker offered Rs.10 lakh to Rs.11 lakh. However, the sale deed showed that his 4.942 acres were sold to Go Renewable on October 13, 2016, for just Rs.4,25,000. (Go Renewable, a green energy firm, merged with Fermi Solar, which is a unit of the Avaada Group, on September 28, 2017.) Harsingh says he received only Rs.3 lakh, of which Rs.25,000 was taken by Gulab Rathod. The deed states that Harsingh was also paid Rs.1,25,000 in cash as 'earnest money' on April 22, 2016, through an individual named Punjram Rama Dhumaal. (Earnest money is payment made by buyers to sellers to demonstrate intention to purchase.) Harsingh denies receiving any earnest money in cash from Punjaram. Bhimrao alleged that several farmers were similarly deceived by local brokers. The purchase price mentioned in Harsingh's sale deed is far below the government valuation of Rs.8,73,000. This disparity marks over 50 per cent of the deals, as a study of the sale deeds reveals. Harsingh said he repeatedly asked Gulab Rathod for the promised price and jobs, but to no avail. The story of Parshuram Deva Chauhan In 2017, Parshuram Deva Chauhan, 75, was approached by company brokers who offered Rs.12 lakh an acre for his land and also jobs for his family members. Parshuram hesitated because he lived on the land and cared for a dargah there. The brokers promised he could keep his house, so he agreed. However, the sale deed showed that his 7.092 acres were sold to Fermi Solar on December 19, 2017, for Rs 12.6 lakh in total—85.2 per cent less than the promised price. Parshuram said he repeatedly asked for the promised money, but company representatives threatened to jail him and demolished his house with a JCB in February 2018, a month after the sale deed was executed. Bhimrao identified the company representative who threatened Parshuram as one Altaf Thamboli, who appears to be an Avaada Group employee as seen on LinkedIn. The others could not be identified. Farmers such as Nandu Appa Jadhav from Bodhare also reported constant pressure from brokers. In 2017, Gulab Rathod visited Nandu repeatedly, even at night, claiming the land was government property and would be taken back if he did not sell it for Rs.50,000 an acre. Another broker, Dyandev Anantrao Thube, offered Rs.1 lakh an acre. Nandu's family eventually sold their 17 acres for Rs.33 lakh, 13.3 per cent below the government valuation of Rs.38.06 lakh. How farmers were compelled to undersell According to documents accessed from the sub-registrar's office in the revenue department, between 2016 and 2019, JBM Solar Power Maharashtra Pvt. Ltd, Go Renewable Pvt. Ltd, and Fermi Solarfarms Pvt. Ltd (a unit of the Avaada Group) executed 73, 66, and 14 sale deeds, respectively. Of these 153 sale deeds, more than half (83) were executed at prices lower than the government valuation. Nimbabai's husband, Bhimrao Sakaram Savde, signed papers that he believed pertained to the division of land among his brothers. Only when Fermi Solar started occupying the land did the family realise that their land had been sold. In an even more egregious deception, Savde's sale deed mentioned two deceased aunts—Shenpadabai Raghu Savde and Shambai Namdev Jadhav—as sellers, along with other family members. Fake thumbprints, voter IDs, and Aadhaar cards had been used for the sale deed. Shenpadabai died in 2012 and Shambai in 1985. From a look at the land records and satellite imagery, the solar plants appear to have violated several legal provisions and seem to have been set up without necessary clearances. Portions of the plants have been constructed inside the Gautala Autramghat Wildlife Sanctuary and its ESZ in Shivapur and Bodhare villages. This is in breach of the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA) of 1972, the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, and the Maharashtra Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act of 1948. Government officials later approved these projects through questionable processes, bypassing legal requirements and ignoring early complaints from affected farmers. As protests escalated, farmers approached the judiciary, leading to a Bombay High Court observation that confirmed regulatory failures. The case is in court. Highlights Farmers in five villages of Maharashtra's Jalgaon district have been duped into selling their agricultural land to solar power companies that used brokers to coerce and cajole the farmers. The farmers were paid less than government valuation of their land. Several laws were violated, and the land in question was for agricultural use and could not be sold outside the families. The farmers are now fighting back, and the case in in court. Meanwhile, the affected farmers are struggling to feed their families and are distressed over the loss of land they had cultivated for decades. According to Bhushan Mahajan, a lawyer representing some of the farmers, the sale deeds violate Section 20 of the WPA, which states that after the issue of a notification for a wildlife sanctuary, 'no right shall be acquired in, on or over the land within the limits of the area specified in such notification, except by succession, testamentary or intestate'. Mahajan explained what this means: 'Once the Wild Life (Protection) Act is in place, one cannot sell and purchase the land, it can only be transferred to the owner's legal heir. The deeds for transfer of property cannot even be executed.' Violations of laws to protect nature and wildlife A comparison of satellite visuals of the plants, land records, and the boundary of the wildlife sanctuary as defined by the 2016 ESZ notification reveals that Fermi Solar and JBM Solar set up projects on at least 309 acres of the wildlife sanctuary in Shivapur and Bodhare. The construction also violates Section 29 of the WPA, which deals with destruction or damage of wildlife habitats and interference with water bodies; and Section 35(6), which makes permission from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) mandatory for any activity that may interfere with wildlife habitats. None of the projects had sought approval from the NBWL or the State government. Moreover, the three projects also intrude into the ESZ in Shivapur and Bodhare. Bhushan Mahajan and Bharat Chauhan, a Chalisgaon-based advocate representing the affected farmers, pointed out that the Maharashtra Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act stipulates that non-agriculturalists cannot buy land in an ESZ under Section 63-1 A of the Act. A look at the projects' timeline shows that in 2017, the companies began construction on the purchased land and kept buying more. On January 23, 2018, the Office of the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Jalgaon Forest Division, wrote to the three companies to immediately halt work in the Shivapur and Bodhare ESZ, saying that they could not construct anything without the permission of the ESZ monitoring committee. Thirteen days after the notice was issued, Fermi Solar applied to the Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife), Aurangabad, seeking permission for industrial use of land inside the ESZ. JBM Solar did not even apply for permission. According to the committee's minutes, the ESZ monitoring committee held a meeting on February 7, 2018, with only 5 of its 13 members present and passed a resolution to grant Fermi Solar permission with certain conditions. On February 9, 2018, the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Aurangabad, granted the company permission to set up a solar plant in the ESZ. The permission was granted without prior approval of the State government, which is mandatory under the ESZ notification. Moreover, this decision was based on the observation of the ESZ monitoring committee that 'the activity of solar project has been listed at Sr No. 37 under promoted activities' (according to the minutes). 'Sr No. 37' is a section in the ESZ notification, and a look at the list of promoted activities under it shows that it only mentions 'Use of Renewable Energy'. Chauhan said that the committee took liberties with the interpretation of the phrase 'Use of Renewable Energy': 'The words refer to using renewable energy—like solar-powered lights in the area—not its commercialisation or industrialisation,' he said. Satellite images from the area captured in January 2018 clearly showed that one month before taking any formal permission, the companies had begun construction in the ESZ. Farmers' pushback One of the first complaints against the projects was filed on September 26, 2017, by Kushal Chhagan Rathod from Lonje, against Go Renewable's representatives Sanjay Rahate and Punjaram Dhumal, and Gulab Rathod. Kushal alleged that his mother was misled into selling land and had been promised Rs.8 lakh an acre and employment at the plant. The family eventually concluded the deal for a mere Rs.1.75 lakh for the land that was little under an acre. Kushal says they actually got only Rs.1.2 lakh, out of which they paid Rs.25,000 to Gulab Rathod. The affected farmers, including Bhimrao, formed the Shetkari Bachav Kruti Samiti in 2018 once they realised they had been deceived. Between 2019 and 2022, the samiti or ganised several protests and approached multiple administrative offices, including the Chalisgaon tehsildar, the magistrate's office, the Collector of Jalgaon, and a State government Minister, requesting action against the companies. In September 2021, the farmers staged indefinite protests at Mumbai's Azad Maidan. The protest was called off after assurances of an inquiry from the administration. On July 7, 2022, following a government order, the Collector of Jalgaon prepared an inquiry report. However, while the report included claims of the Shetkari Bachav Kruti Samiti and that of authorities on the projects being set up in an eco-sensitive zone and on 'illegal' land purchases, it lacked clarity on who was responsible for the situation. Bhimrao said that no action was taken by the authorities although the farmers kept following up on the case after the Collector's report was released. On October 7, 2022, the farmers began protesting at the project site. On October 11, the protest turned violent, leading to the arrest of at least 40 farmers who were granted bail after a month. In February 2023, the farmers decided to approach the Bombay High Court. On March 6, 2023, the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court observed that the ESZ monitoring committee's permission to Fermi Solar was illegal. The court also noted that Fermi Solar should have limited its activity to 300 acres but had spread its constructions over approximately 1,070 acres. This area was occupied by both Fermi Solar and JBM Solar. The court found that neither entity had obtained the required wildlife clearance, environmental clearance, or forest clearance. Also Read | Hasdeo Arand and the manufacturing of tribal consent An affidavit filed by Purushottam R. Sakhare, a scientist at the regional office of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Nagpur, confirmed that the NBWL did not receive any application seeking approval. On July 18, 2024, the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court sought clarification on the steps taken by the Central government to address the companies' alleged failure to seek the required environmental clearances. The Centre has claimed that such approvals are the responsibility of State governments. Queries were sent to the Collector of Jalgaon district and to JBM and Avaada, seeking their response to some of the issues raised by the farmers. They had not responded as of going to press. Meanwhile, the affected farmers are struggling to feed their families and are deeply distressed over the loss of the land they cultivated for decades. 'Now we are old. We have been demanding justice over the past seven years but are not getting it. How will we survive? Instead of getting justice, we were jailed,' said Shantibai, 75, a farmer who was jailed for 30 days following the October 2022 protests. The question is, the wheels of justice may move slowly, but must they also crush the hapless? Mahmodul Hassan is a Writing Fellow with Land Conflict Watch, an independent network of researchers conducting studies on natural resources.
