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In a temporary respite to the residents of 54 villages in Madhya Pradesh, the State government has submitted an undertaking to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that tree-felling to make way for the Mahan coal block will not begin till October.

The NGT was hearing a case filed by the Mahan Sangharsh Samiti (MSS), which has been spearheading protests against the development of the coal block that was first allotted in 2006. The next hearing for the case is likely to be held in July.

‘Illegitimate proposal’

“We’ve been opposing this illegitimate mining proposal for over two years now. But despite our opposition, the UPA Government went ahead with the Stage II forest clearance. The mine tramples upon the rights of over 50,000 people in over 54 villages,” said Hardayal Singh Gond, an MSS member and a petitioner in the case.

The petition filed by MSS members says the clearance granted to Mahan coal block violates the Precautionary Principle, Principles of Sustainable Development along with provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, National Forest Policy 1988, Biological Diversity act 2002 and Schedule Tribe and Other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006. In February, Mahan Coal Ltd, which is a joint venture by Essar Power and Hindalco Industries, received Stage II forest clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, drawing severe criticism from various quarters.

‘False consent’

Activists and villagers allege that signatures of several villagers on the gram sabha resolution, which accorded consent to the project, were forged. Last year, former Tribal Affairs Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo repeatedly flagged violations of Forests Rights Act as well as nexus between local authorities and the private companies.

Source-On Request