Land, Forest, Adivasis, and the Making of New Resource Frontiers

Abstract

This article examines the growing bauxite mining activities aimed at extracting aluminum ore in the Netharhat Valley, located in the Gumla and Latehar districts of Jharkhand. Adivasis share an inseparable relationship with land and forest, which play a vital role in shaping their identity and social structure. However, the introduction of new mining frontiers has ushered in persistent extraction challenges in Adivasi’s life. Although capitalist varied interests promise Adivasis for development imperatives and their chance to uplift themselves through mining, the outcomes are both complex and multifaceted. The current situation is marked by complexity as the introduction of the new mining frontiers has skewed the balance. The article illustrates the diverse consequences of extensive mining on the Adivasis and their diminishing control over land and forests. It illustrates the varying stances on the issue of mining, and their differing opinions have created divisions among the villagers based on class, economic priorities and market opportunities. The introduction of new resource frontiers has weakened village egalitarianism and institutions, allowing for mining capitalism to penetrate the Adivasi heartlands.