Hasdeo mines: An explainer
At the heart of the conflict over mining in Hasdeo Arand forests is whether Gram Sabha consent was obtained before final nod was granted to the Parsa coal mine
Since October 2021, when the Chhattisgarh government gave its final nod to the five million tonnes per annum capacity Parsa coal mine, there has been an unofficial stay on mining because the village residents of Hariharpur, Salhi and Fatehpur in Hasdeo say they never consented to the diversion of 841 hectares (ha) of forest land for it — an essential step in the process before mining permissions in forest land can be granted.
The open-cast mining project falls within the districts of Surajpur and Surguja. Activists have claimed that around 700 people will be displaced and around 841 ha of dense forest will be destroyed due to the Parsa mining project. According to the 2009 census of the forest department, around 92,000 trees were expected to be axed but now, in 2022, the number of trees is likely to be far higher, they added.
HT has seen letters sent by the gram sabhas to former Chhattisgarh Governor Anusiya Uikey and the Chhattisgarh government seeking an inquiry into how the Union environment ministry’s forest advisory committee granted a final forest clearance to the mine on October 21, 2021, based on what they’re calling a farzi (fake) Gram Sabha.
Another mine in Hasdeo Arand, the Parsa East Kete Basan (PEKB) is also under the scanner, as a case is pending in the Supreme Court, which has challenged mining in the region because of its impact on the fragile ecology and biodiversity of the forests.
Hasdeo Arand is one of the largest contiguous stretches of very dense forest in central India spanning 170,000 hectares and has 23 coal blocks. In 2009, the environment ministry categorised Hasdeo Arand to be a “No-Go” zone for mining because of its rich forest cover but opened it again to mining because the policy was not finalised.
The application in SC on PEKB refers to a National Green Tribunal judgement of 2014 which sought details on conservation significance of the block and; whether it is a migratory route for animals; its endemic flora and fauna, among others. The Chhattisgarh government commissioned a study five years after the NGT order was passed. The expenditure for the study was borne by Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL), which owns the mine and which has a direct conflict of interest, the application filed by advocate Sudiep Shrivastava stated.
The Chhattisgarh government commissioned the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (IFRE) to do the study which, in turn, engaged the Wildlife Institute of India. The ICFRE report recommended that no mining should be permitted in the region except in the ongoing portion of the PEKB mine in Hasdeo. The WII also underlined that no further area in Hasdeo Arand should be broken up for mining, that the PEKB coal blocks are a habitat for rare, endangered, and threatened fauna and that the habitat connectivity between Hasdeo Arand area and Achanakmar tiger reserve, Boramdeo and Kanha tiger reserve is strong, and may support sporadic tiger dispersal. In line with WII’s report, the application sought that SC prohibits all mining in the Hasdeo Arand forest region. The application will be heard on July 18.
HT reported on March 5, 2021, that forest clearance for phase 1 of the PEKB coal block involving the diversion of 762 ha was granted in March 2012 for 15 years for an annual capacity of 10 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). But in less than nine years, the mine had nearly exhausted its reserves. The mine sought an additional forest land of 269.845 hectares during phase 1 of their project which the Union ministry granted.
Why is mining in Hasdeo Arand a contentious issue?
Both these mines are owned by RRVUNL, while the coal mine developer-cum-operator (MDO) operations have been awarded to Adani Enterprises. The Washington Post reported on June 5 that there may be a common thread to the government crackdown on an independent public policy think tank, a law firm, and an environmental group. On September 7, Indian tax authorities simultaneously raided three seemingly unrelated nonprofit organisations and each was seen to be standing in the way of a particularly contentious project—a coal mine in a lush forest in central India called Hasdeo Arand, the report said.
Concerns over mining in Parsa, however, began in 2021. HT reported on October 30, 2021, that the grant of stage II or final forest clearance to Parsa opencast coal mine had led to widespread protests by the affected villagers. Villagers of Fatehpur, Hariharpur and Salhi had alleged that Gram Sabha consent was forged for stage 1 approval and that the grant of forest clearance by the Centre was premature.
“First thing is the gram sabha did not approve the diversion of this forest. It was forged. Secondly, for us tribals, the entire Hasdeo Arand forest is like our bank account. We depend completely on it for food and fodder. We will be devastated if we are thrown out of our forest,” Ramlal Karyam, who was in Delhi to meet Congress leaders at the time, had said.
It is mandatory for the district collector to complete the process of recognition and vesting of forest rights in accordance with the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 for the entire forest land indicated in the proposal; obtain the consent of each Gram Sabha having jurisdiction over the whole or a part of the forest land indicated in the proposal under forest conservation rules.
Thereafter, the villagers raised the issue of the reportedly forged Gram Sabha consent with the Chhattisgarh government and former Governor, Anusiya Uikey. According to a letter dated February 22, 2022, addressed to the then Governor, Uikey, villagers said it had been three months since they lodged a complaint with the Chhattisgarh government seeking an inquiry into the forged consent but no inquiry had been ordered. They feared that they would be displaced from their villages even before the complaint was investigated, as the Union ministry had already granted the final approval to the project.
In 2021 villagers also met regarding their complaint with Uikey. In a letter dated October 25, 2021, Uikey had written to Chhattisgarh chief secretary, Amitabh Jain recommending that an inquiry be made into allegations of forged gram sabha by villagers especially because the issue pertained to Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (or PESA), 1996. “There has been no inquiry yet. On the ground, there is no mining in the Parsa block. It is an unofficial stay on mining. Villagers are waiting for their concerns to be addressed,” said Bipasha Paul, environmentalist, and member of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan.
HT sent queries to Adani Enterprises on June 12 seeking a response on whether mining in the Parsa block in Chhattisgarh was continuing, and whether there was a stay on the work pending the SC hearing. Adani Enterprises responded saying that the RRVUNL was better placed to provide details. JP Maurya, secretary of mining, Chhattisgarh also did not answer HT’s calls. Union environment ministry’s Parivesh website states that the proposal is approved. The estimated cost of the project is ₹1960 crore.
According to the locals, mining is continuing in a part of the PEKB block, “The SC hearing is scheduled for July 18. We have sought a direction that no further area from Hasdeo Arand be put up for mining. This is what WII had recommended. The union environment ministry ignored the findings,” said Sudiep Shrivastava, an environmental lawyer based in Bilaspur who is the respondent in the case.
Rajasthan’s power woes
The unannounced stay in mining has raised concerns in Rajasthan where 50% of power generation for the state depends on coal from captive mines in Chhattisgarh and the rest is sourced mostly from Coal India mines according to officials who did not wish to be named.
“It’s interesting that in spite of being a large solar power generator, most of the generation is utilised in other states while Rajasthan continues to depend on thermal power. Efforts are being made to address the concerns of local communities in Parsa,” an official said.
“Smooth operation of PEKB coal mine is the utmost critical requirement for Rajasthan. Around 4340 MW of power stations are dependent upon coal from the captive coal mine. Sustained power generation from these Power plants is critical for the State of Rajasthan,” said RK Sharma, chairman and managing director at RRUVNL.
HT reported on June 25 that Chhattisgarh asked the Central government to stop auctioning nine of the 23 coalfields located in pristine forests around the Hasdeo Arand and Mand River catchment since mining in these areas would harm local ecosystems. The auction of the nine coal blocks will have an impact on the lives of people in 24 villages and would destroy local ecology, the state government said in a June 23 letter to the Union coal secretary.
“Chhattisgarh assembly on July 26, 2022, had resolved to get all coal blocks in the Hasdeo area to be cancelled. The coal ministry was informed about the resolution on September 19, 2022,” Jai Prakash Maurya, special mining secretary of the Chhattisgarh government, said in the letter. “I have been directed to inform the state government’s objection to the proposed auction of nine block blocks in the area.”
On March 29, the Centre announced the seventh round of its coal mine auction, which has 101 mines, including Tara block in Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo Arand forests and Mahan coal block in Madhya Pradesh. Tara has a forest cover of 81%, of which very dense forest (VDF) cover is about 15.96sq km (1,596 ha) of the block; Mahan has a forest cover of 97% with very dense forests covering 3.72sq km (372 ha) of the block.
The article has been amended to correct Bipasha Paul's place of work. An earlier version mentioned that she worked with Jan Abhivyakti. She now works with Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan.
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