Raipur (Chhattisgarh): The Chhattisgarh State Scheduled Tribe Commission (CGSST) has investigated the Gram Sabha proposals for forest approval of the Parsa Coal Block in the Hasdeo forest area and found them to be obtained through fraudulent means.
The Commission has called for the cancellation of the forest clearance and termed the proposals as fake and fabricated. This marks a significant victory for the tribes and forest-dependent communities in the region, who have been protesting against the land diversion for years.
Representatives of Hasdeo Arand Bachao Sangharsh Samiti demanded immediate cancellation of forest clearance and cancellation of mining lease and alleged that Chhattisgarh Government is working under the influence of Adani Company and brutally harming the interest of forest dwellers and as well as tribals encroaching the PESA act.
If the forest clearance of Parsa coal mines get cancelled the major beneficiary company RRVUNL and especially Adani Company working in these mines as Mines Developer and Operator is going to get impacted from the decision.
According to the Forest Rights Act, 2006, before any forest land can be diverted for non-forestry purposes, it is mandatory to obtain the consent of the affected Gram Sabhas and recognize the forest rights of the community. However, the Gram Sabhas of Salhi, Hariharpur, and Fatepur villages, which are affected by the Parsa Coal Block project, never passed any resolutions approving the diversion of forest land. Despite repeated complaints from the villagers about fake Gram Sabha resolutions, the Union Environment Ministry and the State Forest Department granted forest clearance for the project on April 6, 2022.
The villagers had submitted applications to the Chhattisgarh State Scheduled Tribe Commission in August 2021 and July 2024, urging an investigation into the fabricated Gram Sabha resolutions. After reviewing the documents and holding a detailed hearing on September 10, 2024, the Commission found that the documents were indeed falsified. The Gram Sabha proceedings for villages Salhi and Hariharpur contained a proposal for the diversion of forest land that was added illegally after the official proceedings had ended. The Gram Sabha secretary admitted that the proposal was written at a rest house in Udaipur, not in the villages. Both the then Gram Sabha President and the Sarpanch refused to sign the fake proposal, but pressure from district officials led to its acceptance.
Similarly, the Commission found irregularities in the Gram Sabha resolution for Fatepur village. The Gram Sabha was illegally presided over by a Panchayat member, which violated the legal requirements for such meetings. No discussions on mining were held during the meeting, and the resolution passed was later presented as a valid document for forest land diversion.
In light of these findings, the Commission recommended that the forest clearance issued to Parsa Coal Block be cancelled and that fresh Gram Sabha meetings be held in the affected villages. The Commission has also called for a complete investigation into the illegal activities of the district administration and the mining company.
Despite the Governor’s order in 2022 to halt proceedings until an investigation was conducted, the forest department proceeded with tree cutting, violating the directive. The Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, a local activist group, has demanded the immediate cancellation of the forest clearance and the registration of criminal cases against the guilty officials and the mining company. They have also called for the withdrawal of false criminal cases filed against protesting villagers.
The movement has gained significant momentum, with plans to present one lakh petitions in the state assembly during the upcoming winter session and hold a state-wide public awareness campaign.
However, on the issue to know about the official view point of the Adani Company attempts were made to establish the contact but no official version was released till the report got filed.
