https://www.arunacsekhar.com/portraiture daily 0.75 2018-04-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522185509385-59J5HRIBZKWHC2H1029T/Odisha+124.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522185509385-59J5HRIBZKWHC2H1029T/Odisha+124.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522185530677-24TWF4ETEZLFYRBAJEJ7/Odisha+216+%281%29.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice - Natural Justice and the Battle for Niyamgiri The Niyamgiri hills are a thickly forested range in the state of Odisha in Eastern India, revered by vulnerable Dongria and Kutia Kondh Adivasis as the seat of Niyamraja- their god of law. The sacred hills' reserves of bauxite have been eyed by UK-based mining giant Vedanta Resources Plc., which quickly set up a polluting alumina refinery in the foothills. But the company's plans to mine in Niyamgiri have been met with dogged resistance for over a decade. In a historic referendum in 2013, twelve village councils in a row unanimously vetoed Vedanta's designs. But the battle for Niyamgiri is far from over. These pictures have been taken between 2011 and 2018, as part of ongoing personal documentation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522185551800-CELT1E5QZ1OQNY0G63QY/Odisha+112+-+Copy.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522185748515-RA5XF1BAURN1GZAKLM4N/Odisha+140.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522185528430-5Y9TTFY4K10JVQQGBXDQ/Odisha+157+%283%29.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1523015545301-VEB9RPU0QR95ASH4POLZ/Odisha+159.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522185551852-JX2HHH85RNIERVIZS4S6/Odisha+185.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522185718482-P7D2T7LOF8HI943VS5PH/Odisha+183.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522190051161-PVVA5TV35S29U8OUZLQY/DSC_0197.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522189695547-5PAWFTRLG2MHICF2RYTL/DSC_0063.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522189862148-S6Y6KMUSOVTDPIQ038SW/DSC_0044.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522190038810-HRQHV0P017RTHTN8XPNQ/DSC_0154.JPG Niyamgiri and Natural Justice https://www.arunacsekhar.com/flame-of-the-forest daily 0.75 2018-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522189163781-2CGUNAPTG0A3ZIWKHZZE/IMG_7534.JPG Flame of The Forest - Flames of the Forest An ongoing-series of portraits of women human rights defenders in Central India. These women battle intimidation, arrest and threats of assault from all quarters on a daily basis- whether from government, mining firms, armed private militias, land mafias or security forces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522189303781-HGXVUNBQP1A1VHOQEUGV/IMG_7712.JPG Flame of The Forest https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522191030758-IPO0DZM7UL00Y3VMC5GW/IMG_7387.JPG Flame of The Forest https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522191125109-2HCLTN81BF473UZBOYPA/P2030956.JPG Flame of The Forest https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522191164666-MD0R2POQAQT3HY2S2PCT/DSC_0146.JPG Flame of The Forest https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522191356100-4FRCGR7MKQCCZ6X1BJOG/IMG_7318.JPG Flame of The Forest https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522191513737-PSMSB8D0DC6MVYSGP0KE/IMG_7299.JPG Flame of The Forest https://www.arunacsekhar.com/coal daily 0.75 2018-04-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186204705-YIU1ODNQ2NNSJN2UEQD2/Open-Cast+Korba.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? - "When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal?" Coal India Limited is the world's largest coal producer and biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. Since 2014, it has been on an expansion drive to nearly double its production. The Indian government has since diluted safeguards around consulting and seeking the consent of affected Adivasi communities that live around Coal India's mines. These images were taken while I was a senior researcher at Amnesty International India for a research report documenting the abuse of national-interest land acquisition laws across the conflict-ridden Central Indian coal belt, spanning the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186204705-YIU1ODNQ2NNSJN2UEQD2/Open-Cast+Korba.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? - "When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal?" Coal India Limited is the world's largest coal producer and biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. Since 2014, it has been on an expansion drive to nearly double its production. The Indian government has since diluted safeguards around consulting and seeking the consent of affected Adivasi communities that live around Coal India's mines. These images were taken while I was a senior researcher at Amnesty International India for a research report documenting the abuse of national-interest land acquisition laws across the conflict-ridden Central Indian coal belt, spanning the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186064747-F6P4BK33MLD4N7PE2RLL/P1310634.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186630346-PHGG2UN87NUNC4R63O9F/IMG_3787.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186177060-EJFD451QWTA20VUT8U9S/Barpali+Resident.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186317147-9AA3MYSVL6WEBCMKK965/IMG_0778.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186738109-B02Q2VZAAC4RFWS8R48L/IMG_3277.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186271758-5DK7D4EJ5588H6LAQ0B8/IMG_5787.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186368551-HGMB4O8ZP6Y7CB6MMW6U/IMG_1069.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522273070912-YO9M1EN2ZL6WX0UPKL0O/IMG_5181.JPG When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186422956-HJHXE71BM2GHELDTLPAZ/IMG_4324.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186688054-DFXNWV3124WB2F5ZI1DL/IMG_3592.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186550104-3IPHGYP7T4PYSV6TIZNU/IMG_4369.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186452241-OINV9V2MLL0R7MA1K7C0/IMG_5407.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186511624-K5DQRTX9MD9W6NDQW1N6/IMG_5394.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186088192-KESKE6OTL1PHAOJ7P4CN/Nirupa+now.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186583990-6NX8KN9ME3IQE28AV5DJ/IMG_0262.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186784338-DWOG1G2QYEKZSFEDIEUS/IMG_3275.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186602991-F9T38IUPXN9I7AX06U7H/IMG_3915.jpg When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote daily 0.75 2020-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522187878913-ON7DNHLXICP5D9UMRK7K/Odisha+135.JPG Stories of Note https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/2020/6/8/the-cost-of-coal monthly 0.5 2020-06-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1591565365757-QLVWU8DL3HCJ185J4SKK/IMG_5409.jpg Stories of Note - The Cost of Coal One half of Barkuta lay flattened, festooned with explosive wires, the ground perforated in places where dynamite would be placed. Image Credits: Aruna Chandrasekhar / Amnesty International India https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1591565236752-BA163X9QMW0WSH7ZTANG/IMG_0262.jpg Stories of Note - The Cost of Coal Abhiram Singh had to forge bricks in a make-shift brick kiln after his home was bulldozed. Image Credits: Aruna Chandrasekhar / Amnesty International India https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186784338-DWOG1G2QYEKZSFEDIEUS/IMG_3275.jpg Stories of Note - The Cost of Coal Overburden [oh-ver-bur-dn] Overburden is the rock, soil and everything that lies over the coal deposit, including fields, streams, habitations and forests. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1591565925599-PWT2VH59NT9ZAZE0OE8S/IMG_4324.jpg Stories of Note - The Cost of Coal Fifth Schedule [th uh . fifth .shed-yool] The Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists certain districts and territories where Adivasi communities live as protected ‘Scheduled Areas’, where these communities have special customary rights over their land. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522186368551-HGMB4O8ZP6Y7CB6MMW6U/IMG_1069.jpg Stories of Note - The Cost of Coal Stripping Ratio [stripping . rey-shoh, -shee-oh] The stripping ratio, in open-cast mining, is the volume of land used by the mine to the volume of ore extracted. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1591566048597-RS22ACSHKB9ASRV1R4R9/IMG_4369.jpg Stories of Note - The Cost of Coal Public Purpose [puhb-lik . pur-pus] Land acquisition for mining under the Coal Bearing Areas Act allows for companies to acquire people’s land without their consent. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1591565811734-BX3X8KCRS635GVM5PSGD/Nirupa+now.jpg Stories of Note - The Cost of Coal “I understand that some people must make sacrifices for the nation, but why must it always be us?” https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/2020/1/22/fair-play-why-a-sports-coach-is-fighting-big-coal-for-chennais-right-to-breathe monthly 0.5 2020-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1579701548351-FAS9BSIT5BMY29WBLQOU/A99496B0-18CC-414F-8FB0-1DC904038DA0.jpeg Stories of Note - Fair Play: Why a Sports Coach is Fighting Big Coal for Chennai’s Right to Breathe https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1579702115098-2DXVT28RZJN9KUKTBJGI/43422BBF-05D8-49F9-AEE9-0437604E28B0.jpeg Stories of Note - Fair Play: Why a Sports Coach is Fighting Big Coal for Chennai’s Right to Breathe https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/2019/9/3/new-york-times-how-one-billionaire-could-keep-three-countries-hooked-on-coal-for-decades monthly 0.5 2019-09-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1567506731610-TQ1V0WQQCOYUGKO1GXQE/Mundra-+Rebbeca+Conway+for+NYT Stories of Note - New York Times: How One Billionaire Could Keep Three Countries Hooked on Coal for Decades https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1567506928872-DVEQ2YVPF7PI6FA3XI2Y/Godda-+Saumya+K+for+NYT Stories of Note - New York Times: How One Billionaire Could Keep Three Countries Hooked on Coal for Decades https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1567506618036-MK0QZOQKKFJIWP19MVIU/Screen+Shot+2019-09-03+at+3.57.21+PM.png Stories of Note - New York Times: How One Billionaire Could Keep Three Countries Hooked on Coal for Decades https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/2018/7/2/rs-7410-crore-question-jharkhand-amended-energy-policy-to-buy-power-from-adani-at-higher-price monthly 0.5 2018-07-01 https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/2018/4/5/can-america-live-up-to-washingtons-paris-promises-without-it monthly 0.5 2018-04-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522882220861-NDQGYUS72A0RPYABK69W/DSC_0115.JPG Stories of Note - Can America Live up to Washington's Paris Promises Without It? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522882594896-IP979LCQCPXGBVEPL8EA/DSC_0104.JPG Stories of Note - Can America Live up to Washington's Paris Promises Without It? https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/2018/4/5/the-anatomy-of-a-fake-surrender-a-movement-against-bauxite-mining-in-odishas-niyamgiri-hills-and-the-states-efforts-to-circumvent-it monthly 0.5 2018-04-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522880563704-EV6NLQSSUU10N3NH2GH8/Refinery+pix+2.JPG Stories of Note - The Anatomy Of A Fake Surrender: A Movement Against Bauxite Mining In Odisha’s Niyamgiri Hills And The State’s Efforts To Circumvent It “It is unbearable in the evenings, when the wind whips up dust and sends it straight into our homes,” said S Majhi, a resident of Rengopali village located right next to stockpiles of toxic red mud generated by the alumina refinery. These ponds will span 783 hectares, at peak expansion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522879356800-6KVAXAKK4JHK2K9H7OB3/Niyamgiri-FakeSurrenderStory1 Stories of Note - The Anatomy Of A Fake Surrender: A Movement Against Bauxite Mining In Odisha’s Niyamgiri Hills And The State’s Efforts To Circumvent It We don’t know when the company or the police will come.” With the most to lose, Lakhpadar’s women have been active part of the resistance but uncertainty over their future has continued to reign, despite a landmark referendum in 2013 when they vetoed Vedanta’s mining plans. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522880403467-6AM9WIXTTVC0ALU99X29/Refinery+pixx+1.JPG Stories of Note - The Anatomy Of A Fake Surrender: A Movement Against Bauxite Mining In Odisha’s Niyamgiri Hills And The State’s Efforts To Circumvent It A fly ash pond located at the mouth of the Vamsadhara river near the village of Chhattarpur is set to grow even bigger, as a fall-out of powering Vedanta’s expanding alumina refinery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522879782550-U8YR1ISLMW84ZPWU7VO4/Kuni.jpg Stories of Note - The Anatomy Of A Fake Surrender: A Movement Against Bauxite Mining In Odisha’s Niyamgiri Hills And The State’s Efforts To Circumvent It Kuni Sikaka, who played a leading role in getting women to participate in the historic palli sabhas, is not cowed down by charges against her. “I am not a Maoist, I’m an NSS activist and will continue to fight to Save Niyamgiri, however long I’m alive.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522879590599-AW0MN9CU6UTVXVKYZKB6/Screen+Shot+2018-04-05+at+3.35.23+am.png Stories of Note - The Anatomy Of A Fake Surrender: A Movement Against Bauxite Mining In Odisha’s Niyamgiri Hills And The State’s Efforts To Circumvent It “We conducted the palli sabhas, the Supreme Court ordered in our favour. Then why do we have to deal with this again and again? How many times do we have to say no?” said Lada Sikaka, leader of the Niyamgiri Surakhya Samiti. https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/2018/4/2/hope-at-the-end-of-the-worlds-most-heartbreaking-climate-summit monthly 0.5 2018-04-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522665799186-KSPBE2PDLZ00NG1CXFWY/COP23.jpg Stories of Note - Hope At The End Of The World's Most Heartbreaking Climate Summit https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/tag/news monthly 0.5 https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/tag/cop23 monthly 0.5 https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/tag/climate monthly 0.5 https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/tag/international+work monthly 0.5 https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/tag/journalism monthly 0.5 https://www.arunacsekhar.com/storiesofnote/tag/america monthly 0.5 https://www.arunacsekhar.com/video-work daily 0.75 2018-04-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522666413579-JY8T5BTY7DW6WY0XGG77/image-asset.jpeg Film + Video - When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? Research, concept, locations and essay for India's first VR documentary on coal mining, directed by Faiza Khan and produced by Anand Gandhi. Full story here: http://elsevr.tv/cost-of-coal/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522666413579-JY8T5BTY7DW6WY0XGG77/image-asset.jpeg Film + Video - When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? Research, concept, locations and essay for India's first VR documentary on coal mining, directed by Faiza Khan and produced by Anand Gandhi. Full story here: http://elsevr.tv/cost-of-coal/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522695157828-6Q2MSWWY88JYVS38ZIFS/image-asset.jpeg Film + Video - A Simple Guide to Coal Mining in 20 Easy Steps! Research, script and concept for Amnesty International India, as part of its campaign against forcible land acquisition by state-owned coal mining companies. Animation, Direction and Edit: Falana Films Music and Voiceover: Arjun Chandran Video Footage: Faiza Khan https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/5ac20b300e2e721df04488c0/5ac20bad2483d675551f90c8/1522666328895/ Film + Video https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522667560982-GCSVJVHFW534EVOKX2PA/image-asset.jpeg Film + Video - The Pelma Referendum Camerawork, research, edit and translation. In March 2016, indigenous communities in India's coal-rich state of Chhattisgarh vetoed mining by Coal India in their forests for the fifth time in a row. This took place as part of special referendum mandated by the emblematic Forest Rights Act, which recognises community forest rights and self-governance mechanisms. While the Act is under threat from dilutions at the Centre, state governments and companies continue to treat free prior and informed consent as a formality, and where no never really means no. Communities that have seen the least governance, however, continue to engage with the Indian Constitution to resist evictions. Story here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1522666736304-VCOKBMX0NCAIS4MV4POH/image-asset.jpeg Film + Video - Nirupabai's Story Research, interviews, concept and edit support for a promotional film for the launch of Amnesty International's report on coal mining When Land Is Lost, Do We Eat Coal? https://www.arunacsekhar.com/contact daily 1.0 2022-07-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/482213e8-f34f-42e4-ad55-d24cabc4e541/Aruna+Chandrasekhar+Profile.jpg About Photo credit: Gayatri Ganju (2019). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1659079047527-GPDHIMJXIW3Z0TJLV0P4/880740-lotldmcixz-1527606596.jpeg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1659079428928-ZL39YXKYT5R4OTGQ4NCR/32940212_10155394264476044_7693866743172694016_n.jpeg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1659079633558-7VHYQTXODNI8N4I4K62X/Screenshot+2022-07-29+at+12.56.50+PM.png About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5abab021c3c16a160b841b0d/1659079693705-NDCJXPZTUD1FUZ3UGA0S/15800548_10157953075635697_6222199843257062923_o.jpeg About https://www.arunacsekhar.com/contact-1 daily 0.75 2018-04-04