Chhattisgarh: Why were 50 thousand trees cut in Hasdev forest, 10 thousand tribals are worried

Hasdev forest of Chhattisgarh, which was known for its greenery, is now being destroyed. Big machines are sacrificing trees day and night. The smell of dust and gunpowder has started spreading in the air. Work is being done at great speed to poison the air. Till now a total of 50 thousand small and big trees have been cut.

More than 450 soldiers are being deployed to cut trees and everything is being taken away from the tribals. Hundreds of people are seeing their homes destroyed. Only cut trees are visible everywhere and tears of disappointment are also visible in people’s eyes.

This approval has been given for electricity. Now for this electricity, BJP has brought a lot of trouble for all those people who have everything in Hasdev Aranya. Not only are they taking away everything by cutting trees, the government is also forcibly putting those people in jail who are trying to save their homes and Hasdev Aranya.

The question arises that, where is the development of oppressing the environment and the people just for the sake of electricity? Will thousands of lives be left to die just for the sake of one industrialist? The question also arises that, how many voices will be suppressed to benefit Adani? After all, what will happen to those 750 families who will have to leave their homes and move somewhere else?

In fact, as soon as the change in power took place, the work of cutting trees under police protection for the Parsa Purva and Kete Basan (PEKB) Phase-2 expansion coal mines in Hasdev Aranya has started at a rapid pace. For PEKB-2, a plan has been made to cut more than 50 thousand trees on about 91 hectares of land. According to government figures, more than 15 thousand trees have been planted so far.

10 thousand tribals fear losing their homes

The mine is expanding in Hasdev Aranya. About 6 to 8 villages are being directly affected by this, while 18-20 villages are being partially affected. Apart from this, about 10 thousand tribals are afraid of losing their homes. For this, the tribals also organized a march and protest in December 2021.

60 to 70 percent of the income of tribals comes from forests

According to the Wildlife Institute of India report, the area in and around Hasdeo Aranya Cold Field is predominantly inhabited by tribals. Which are heavily dependent on forests. They get 46 percent monthly income from non-timber forest produce. This does not include firewood, animal fodder, medicinal plants, water. If they are included, at least 60 to 70 percent of their income comes from forests. The local community is not in favor of mining.

2 lakh trees of Hasdev forest will be cut

The contract for development and mining of Parsa Coal Block allotted to Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited is in the hands of Adani Enterprises. In the first phase, trees were cut from 841 hectares of forest land in Parsa Coal Block. In the second phase, approval was given for coal exploration in a total area of ​​2711 hectares in Parsa East-Kete-Basen Coal Block. It has 1898 hectares of forest area, in which it is proposed to displace 750 families of Parsa, Hariharpur, Fatehpur and Ghatbarra. According to estimates, 2 lakh trees will be cut in PKEB.

People’s lives at stake

According to a 2018 report, only 1 percent of the country’s elephants are in Chhattisgarh, but more than 15 percent of the incidents of crime against elephants have been recorded here. If new mines are approved and forests are cut down, the elephants’ habitat will be destroyed and their encounters and conflicts with humans will increase. Forest elephants are reaching dense settlements. Recently a group of elephants had destroyed 15 houses.

Congress government had opposed tree cutting

When there was a Congress government in Chhattisgarh, while addressing a meeting in Harigaon of Surguja assembly constituency in protest against the felling of trees, the then minister TS Singhdev had said, “Whether bullets are fired or batons are raised, I will not face bullets or lathicharge.” Will stand at the forefront for.”

Not only this, the then CM Bhupesh Baghel had said in support of TS Singhdev’s statement that, “As far as Baba Saheb’s statement is that I will take the first bullet, there will be no need for firing. Those who are going to shoot will be shot at first. He is the MLA of the area. If he doesn’t want then not even a single tree will be cut.”

The then Bhupesh government of Congress had also given an affidavit in the Supreme Court. It was said through the affidavit that, “350 million tonnes of coal available in the second phase of Parsa East Kete Basen coal mine operated in Hasdev Aranya is capable of meeting the coal needs of Rajasthan for 20 years. There should be no allocation or utilization of any new coal block in Hasdev.”

The affidavit also said, “Wildlife Institute of India has said that Hasdeo Forest is an ecologically sensitive area. Where the situation of human-elephant conflict is serious. Coal mining here will not be in the interest of the state.”

In the affidavit given to the Supreme Court, the then Bhupesh government had also mentioned the resolution passed unanimously in the Chhattisgarh Assembly on July 26, 2022, in which it was said that all the coal blocks allotted in Hasdev Aranya should be cancelled.

The affidavit also mentions the letter sent by the state government to the Union Environment Ministry in which a request has been made to cancel the forest clearance of Parsa Coal Block. It has been said in the affidavit that out of the total coal of the state, only 8 percent of the coal is in Hasdev forest.

The Ministry of Forests and Climate Change, Government of India, granted Stage One permission for the coal block in July 2011 over 1898 hectares. Whereas the Forest Advisory Committee of the Government of India itself had recommended the cancellation of this allocation. Later in 2012, final clearance of Stage 2 was also issued and mining work started in 2013.

When we talked to former Deputy CM TS Singhdev about the cutting of trees, he said, “Permission was given for the coal block of Parsa Kete-2 during the time of UPA-2. Then the state government had taken this initiative. The land was allotted to Chhattisgarh Mining Development Corporation and Rajasthan Electricity Board. Coal was allocated for Capte Power Plant in Rajasthan. He had started work on this.”

He said, “As soon as the NDA government came to power, two new coal blocks were allotted. A big movement broke out regarding the same issue. The reason for the rebellion was that there would be deforestation on a large scale. The protest that is taking place is regarding 2 new coal blocks, which have been allotted by the NDA government.”

TS Singhdev further says, “People of Hariharpur, Fatehpur, Salhi area have always opposed these 2 new coal blocks. People say that the environment clearance has been passed through a fake Gram Sabha. Whereas all the villagers kept opposing it. Regarding the new two coal blocks, 90 percent of the villagers say that new coal blocks should not be opened.

TS Singhdev also said, “I have continuously talked to the villagers and their representatives. Villagers and their representatives say that they do not have any problem with the old mines. Our objection is that the government should take back the new two mines. We will not interfere in old mines.”