Chhattisgarh govt puts 3 coal mine projects allotted to RRVUNL on hold

The projects are facing strong opposition by locals and activists who claim that mining in the biodiversity-rich and ecologically sensitive Hasdeo Arand region will not only displace tribals and cause

The Chhattisgarh government has halted the proceedings regarding three upcoming coal mine projects allotted to the Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL) in Hasdeo Arand forest in Surguja division.

Chhattisgarh Health Minister T S Singh Deo on June 6 visited Hasdeo Arand in support of the local people who are protesting against the projects.
 

Next day, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said if Singh Deo did not want trees to be cut down for coal mine projects, then not a single branch will be chopped.
 

Confirming the government's decision to put the projects on hold, Surguja district collector Sanjeev Jha told PTI that “the three upcoming projects – Parsa, Parsa East and Kente Basan (PEKB) phase II and Kete Extension coal mines -- are at different stages of pre-mining process. All the processes have been put on hold for indefinite period till further orders.” "Without the consent of the local public representative the process will not be taken up further," he said.
 

“We have cancelled the gram sabha proposed on June 8 for Rehabilitation and Resettlement for PEKB phase II project-affected villagers. Similarly, the public hearing scheduled on June 13 for the Kente extension block for environment clearance has also been cancelled. Besides the legal procedures, the tree felling exercise for PEKB phase II mine and Parsa block has also been halted,” the collector added.
 

The three mines were allotted to RRVUNL and the Adani group is associated with it as MDO (mine developer and operator), Jha said.
 

The operational mines in the region will continue to function, he added.

The state government had recently granted final approval for felling of trees on forest land for Parsa mine and PEKB phase II mine coal projects.