The Crossbill News Desk
Fresh political tensions erupted on Tuesday (November 25) as the Congress renewed its criticism of the Adani Group over alleged violations linked to the Dhirauli coal mining project in Madhya Pradesh. The party claimed that "procedural short-circuiting" had enabled large-scale deforestation, calling the development an environmental disaster and a blow to Adivasi rights.
There was no immediate response from the Adani Group or the Madhya Pradesh government, though state authorities had earlier dismissed similar allegations as "baseless".
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh alleged escalating ground activity at the site.
“We had raised the issue of the procedural short-circuiting that Modani and Co. have committed in Dhirauli Madhya Pradesh to cut down forests for a coal mine. Reports have now emerged that large-scale tree felling has begun in the village under heavy police presence,” Ramesh told news agency PTI.
He further alleged restricted access to the area.
“Local villagers have been barred from approaching the forest site and outsiders have been denied entry. The MP Adivasi Congress President Ramu Tekam has been arrested for raising the issue,” he added.
Calling the development devastating, Ramesh said, “This is an environmental tragedy and a social and economic disaster for the local Adivasi tribes who are reliant on the forests for their livelihood.”
The dispute dates back to September, when the Congress first accused the Adani Group of initiating tree cutting on government and forest land in “blatant violation” of the Forest Rights Act. Ramesh had also claimed the mining allocation was pushed through by the Centre in 2019 and fast-tracked without mandatory legal compliance.
The Madhya Pradesh government, however, has maintained that the project is legally sound and supported by clearances from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, including final Stage-II approval.
Ramesh reiterated his claim of “blatant irregularities” in the approval process, citing a 2023 reply in the Lok Sabha which, according to him, confirmed the mining zone falls under a Fifth Schedule protected area.
Last week, the Environment Ministry rejected his assertions, stating, “Both Stage-I and Stage-II approvals have been duly granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Allegations with regard to violations of constitutional protections are factually incorrect and misleading.”
According to Ramesh, this clarification itself was “false” and ignored constitutional protections applicable to the region.
The controversy continues to intensify, with opposition leaders framing the dispute as one of environmental justice and indigenous rights, while the government insists due process has been followed.
There was no immediate response from the Adani Group or the Madhya Pradesh government, though state authorities had earlier dismissed similar allegations as "baseless".
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh alleged escalating ground activity at the site.
“We had raised the issue of the procedural short-circuiting that Modani and Co. have committed in Dhirauli Madhya Pradesh to cut down forests for a coal mine. Reports have now emerged that large-scale tree felling has begun in the village under heavy police presence,” Ramesh told news agency PTI.
He further alleged restricted access to the area.
“Local villagers have been barred from approaching the forest site and outsiders have been denied entry. The MP Adivasi Congress President Ramu Tekam has been arrested for raising the issue,” he added.
Calling the development devastating, Ramesh said, “This is an environmental tragedy and a social and economic disaster for the local Adivasi tribes who are reliant on the forests for their livelihood.”
The dispute dates back to September, when the Congress first accused the Adani Group of initiating tree cutting on government and forest land in “blatant violation” of the Forest Rights Act. Ramesh had also claimed the mining allocation was pushed through by the Centre in 2019 and fast-tracked without mandatory legal compliance.
The Madhya Pradesh government, however, has maintained that the project is legally sound and supported by clearances from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, including final Stage-II approval.
Ramesh reiterated his claim of “blatant irregularities” in the approval process, citing a 2023 reply in the Lok Sabha which, according to him, confirmed the mining zone falls under a Fifth Schedule protected area.
Last week, the Environment Ministry rejected his assertions, stating, “Both Stage-I and Stage-II approvals have been duly granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Allegations with regard to violations of constitutional protections are factually incorrect and misleading.”
According to Ramesh, this clarification itself was “false” and ignored constitutional protections applicable to the region.
The controversy continues to intensify, with opposition leaders framing the dispute as one of environmental justice and indigenous rights, while the government insists due process has been followed.
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