Web Exclusive: Jharkhand’s burning forests

Al Jazeera travels to eastern Indian state which heads to the polls on Thursday.

Carved out of Bihar in the year 2000, Jharkhand – “The Land of Forests” – is India’s richest state in terms of minerals.

But the native population, who are overwhelmingly tribals, has almost no access to basic development such as education, healthcare, and drinking water.

People in remote villages such as Bagudia and Mirgitad tell Al Jazeera that schools are without teachers and there are no doctors in the local hospital.

People in the area are angry at politicians who have not fulfilled their promises.

“Voting is our right, and we will vote. The forest is burning and everyone is looking at it. There is also a fire burning inside the tribal people who live in the same forest. But no one is paying any attention,” a villager told Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera’s Kamal Kumar travels to eastern Indian state which heads to the polls on Thursday.

Source: Al Jazeera