Peaceful Protests Erupt Over Mega-Hospital Land Acquisition in Ranchi
The groundbreaking ceremony for a new mega-hospital in Ranchi, India remained peaceful, despite localised non-violent protests from indigenous tribal farmers.
- The protests, which erupted as farmers marched from Nagri to the Ranchi Collectorate, were a response to the acquisition of fertile agricultural land for the ₹4,200 crore hospital project.
- Villagers are demanding that the hospital be relocated to barren land to preserve their ancestral livelihood.
Local resident Vikash Toppo expressed the concerns of the villagers, saying, "Local residents strongly oppose the acquisition of fertile, multi-crop agricultural land, maintaining that the ₹4,200 crore mega-hospital should be relocated to barren land to preserve their ancestral livelihood."
Ranchi SSP Rakesh Ranjan confirmed that the situation remained peaceful, saying, "Our primary objective was to ensure that the administrative process and the legal commencement of work proceeded without any disruption."
Ranjan acknowledged the emotional connection of the local community to their land, saying, "We recognise the emotional connection of the local community to their land, and we are grateful that the groundbreaking ceremony was completed peacefully, respecting both the law of the land and the safety of the citizens."
The ₹2,600 crore loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is backing the health department's plan to build a self-sustaining, international-standard healthcare institution.
However, the standoff over the Nagri site remains highly sensitive, with villagers continuing to demand administrative intervention.