Hasdeo Arand is a forest in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, located in the centre-east of the country. It is on top of the Hasdeo coalfield in the east of India in Chhattisgarh. The government of India has proposed to mine the coal, which would destroy the forest.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
Hasdeo represents one of the largest coal reserves in India, having estimated reserves of 5.18 billion tonnes of coal.[11][12]
Though the coal mining sector in India is primarily state-owned, through Coal India, this proposal would enable the creation of a privatized, commercial coal sector. The Adani Group led by Gautam Adani is among the companies lobbying for a stake.[13]
Four state governments – of Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh – have written to the Narendra Modi in opposition to this mining.[13] These petitions were partly successful, as the Minister of Coal Pralhad Joshi agreed to exclude five coal blocks that are rich in biodiversity, but replaced them with three others.[14] In addition, one coal block which overlapped the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra was removed.[13]
References
- ↑ The long battle of Hasdeo Arand residents against the Parsa coal project in Chhattisgarh. The Caravan(24 June 2020).
- ↑ Hasdeo Aranya protests to save the forests. The Ecologist(25 October 2019).
- ↑ An Indian mining conglomerate is eating up a sacred forest grove. Quartz India(24 October 2019).
- ↑ Centre's nod for mining in 170,000 hectares of forest in Chhattisgarh. Hindustan Times(21 March 2019).
- ↑ The Hasdeo Arand story: Is coal mining a fait accompli for the pristine forests?. Mongabay-India(7 March 2019).
- ↑ Chhattisgarh: 9 Sarpanchs Write to PM to Stop Mining Auction at Hasdeo Arand. The Wire(16 June 2020).
- ↑ Adani and the Elephants of the Hasdeo Aranya Forest. Adani Watch(25 June 2020).
- ↑ Adani to destroy India's Hasdeo Arand forest for coal. Bob Brown Foundation(2019).
- ↑ The elephant in the room: A graphic narrative on coal mining in the Hasdeo forest. Firstpost(October 2018).
- ↑ If we give the Hasdeo forest, where will we go?: Jainandan Porte on mining protests in Chhattisgarh. The Caravan(24 February 2019).
- ↑ Coal in India. ibm.nic.in.
- ↑ India's ancient tribes battle to save their forest home from mining. The Guardian(10 February 2020).
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 India plans to fell ancient forest to create 40 new coalfields. the Guardian(8 August 2020).
- ↑ 'No coal mining in Hasdeo Arand': Coal ministry accepts Chhattisgarh govt proposal, Mishra, Ritesh. Hindustan Times(1 August 2020). Retrieved 10 August 2020.