New Delhi, Aug 6 (PTI) Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat on Wednesday called on the Centre to halt a coal project in Chhattisgarh that threatens to devastate approximately 1,742 hectares
of dense forest land, claiming that at least 4.5 lakh trees would be felled if the project proceeds.
In her letter to Bhupender Yadav, the Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, the veteran CPI(M) leader said there is no "public interest" involved in the project as claimed, "only the exploitation of mineral resources for private gain".
"I am writing to you to strongly oppose and to request your intervention to reverse the destructive decision of the Chhattisgarh Forest department to give the green signal for the operationalisation of the Kente Extension Coal Project, which requires the destruction of 1742 hectares of dense forest land," Karat stated.
Karat's concerns follow an inspection by the Surguja District Forest Officer in June. She pointed out that the coal project, part of the larger Hasdeo-Arand region initiative, was given to a Rajasthan government-owned power utility, and the former Rajasthan government had set up a joint venture with Adani Enterprises called Parsa Kente Collieries Limited, where Adani holds a 74 per cent stake.
"This company was appointed the mine developer cum operator of the Hasdeo-Parsa coal project. Records have shown that a substantial amount of coal mined under this venture has been diverted to the private company’s power projects in the name of use of 'rejected coal'," Karat said.
She asserted this is relevant since the reasoning given for the clearance of the Kente Extension Coal Project was framed as being in 'public interest'. "There is no public interest involved, only the exploitation of mineral resources for private gain," she said.
Karat warned that the project, if implemented, would exacerbate the existing environmental damage in areas already affected by mining activities.
"According to the official inspection report, at least 4.5 lakh trees are going to be felled. These are in the dense forest, which is full of indigenous trees critical for carbon sequestration. Open-cast mining in this region has already destroyed thousands of trees, polluted the waters, and the ground soil," she said.
The CPI(M) leader alleged that the projects are being taken up, ignoring the opinions of the gram sabhas involved and the provisions of the constitution and legal frameworks that make consent of the gram sabhas mandatory.
She also highlighted that open-cast mining impacts a much wider geographical area than just the project site, and even if human habitation is sparse in the immediate vicinity, many neighbouring villages will be significantly affected.
"Earlier, more than 1500 written objections from local communities were given to the government. But these have been ignored," she noted.
Karat reminded the minister of a past statement he made regarding a Forest Survey of India report, in which he indicated that "forest cover is lost due to titles being given under the FRA, 2006, and stringent protection measures are required."
"We protested against that statement and pointed out that forest cover was being lost because of so-called development projects," Karat remarked in the letter.
"It is surely your responsibility as the Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change, to save the forests and the wanton felling of trees and the destruction of a rich bio-diverse area, over the interests of a private company," she added.
The Chhattisgarh Forest Department has recommended approval for the diversion of 1742.60 hectares of forest land for Kente Extension Coal Block, allotted to a Rajasthan government power utility, for mining in the biodiversity-rich Hasdeo Arand belt in Surguja district.
This recommendation, estimated to affect nearly 4.50 lakh trees of different species, was issued by the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Surguja forest division following a site inspection on June 26. PTI AO AO MPL
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