Oh Jharia! Oh Fires!

In a breezy calm of Goa
I met messenger of Jharia fires
Inside the classroom informed
Coal underground, oh dear, on fire!

Story unfolds the first day of June
Jharia coal burning for many years, months and days
I lost count exactly how many
Researchers tell us exact story!

I know not exactly how many places
I know not who put matchstick
I know not who did profit

I know not who control coal mafia


Fire of Jharia voiced out a cry
in my beloved Goa,
At times Goa confronts
Adani, Jindal and Vedanta might.

I know for sure dozen villages are up in smoke
I know from source some people moved to rehabilitation sites
I know for caste based discrimination is a rampant
I know for certain; people struggle for better livelihood and Jobs.

Two colonies of Belgharia and Jagjivanpur 
are where housed rehabilitated people.
Plight of Scheduled Caste in Jagjivanpur is "living hell",
Who is responsible for this?

Scheduled Castes are indigenous people of India
How come they are treated so badly?
Who gave this name "Jagjivanpur" to rehabilitation colony?
Wasn't Jagjivan Ram a puppet used against Ambedkar?

Is it Government of India that own Coal India Limited?
Is it government of Jharkhand?
Is it Coal mafia?
Is it Politicians?

Or is it all the above and many more?
Is it mass of educated middle class keeping studied silence?
Or is it affected people for they were born?
Or is it educational and research institutions failed in their role?

Fire of hearts moves miles with plenty of smiles,
Sets ablaze many minds in many nations
Connects flames of struggles across Globe
And Goa is not excluded from fiery scope.

In Goa we our own battles on board
Yet keep corner of our heart for Jharia fire to rage on
Lets attempt to decode
Lets offer listening Ear

We desire Peace!
We desire Jharia fires off
We extend hands of Solidarity
For Jharia to be Heaven again!

For butterflies to fly again
For birds to sing again
For wild to bloom again
For Humans to sustain again.
 
Sincere wishes we share
Honest steps we initiate
Words of greetings we exchange
Oh Jharia, with Love from Goa!


Sebastian Rodrigues after inspiring presentation in Goa from Priya Wadini at Regional Science Congress, Goa

Pictures included here are selected from Google.