Hasdeo Mining, Government Approval, Environmental Hazards, and Adani’s Involvement
Background
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| Ref: https://www.pmfias.com/hasdeo-arand/ |
According to the official documents reviewed by Mongabay-India, a proposal to mine the PEKB coal block came to the expert forest advisory committee (FAC) of the Indian government’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in 2010. The proposal for diversion of 1,898 hectares of forest land in the Sarguja district of Chhattisgarh was considered by the FAC in its meeting on June 20-21, 2011. But the committee denied recommending forest clearance to the proposal noting that that area proposed for diversion has high ecological and forest value and the number of trees to be felled was very high, which did not justify diversion from the conservation point of view. However, the then environment minister Jairam Ramesh rejected the recommendations of the FAC and on June 23, 2011 and granted stage-I approval to the project. He noted that the coal block is located in the fringe area and not in biodiversity-rich area of Hasdeo Arand and that as a minister he has to keep the broader picture of development in mind and balance out different objectives and considerations. The final stage-II approval was given to the project on March 15, 2012, and subsequently, a case was filed in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against it. In its judgement on March 24, 2014, the green tribunal set aside the clearance given to the mine project, suspended the mining work commenced by the Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd (RRVUNL), except the work of conservation of existing flora and fauna. It sent the project back to MoEFCC with directions to seek fresh advice of the FAC within reasonable time on all aspects of the proposal like whether the PEKB coal block is a habitat to endemic or endangered species of flora and fauna and whether the PEKB block has a significant conservation/protection value so much so that the area cannot be compromised for coal mining with appropriate conservation/management strategies. The project developers challenged the NGT’s order in the Supreme Court which stayed the NGT’s direction regarding the suspension of all works started by the RRVUNL. Adani Group's Mahan Energen Limited has been awarded a coal block in the Hasdeo Aranya forest area after industry lobbying and the Coal Ministry overriding Environment Ministry advice to open the dense forest for mining. The block, rich in coal, was awarded after the Association of Power Producers (APP) lobbied for it, citing a rumored coal shortage.
Government Approvals & Policy Angle
How Forest and Environmental Clearances Work
Before a company can start digging for coal in a forest like Hasdeo, it has to get two big permissions from the government:
Forest Clearance (FC)
Governed by the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
Step 1: The company applies to the State Forest Department saying, “We need this much forest land for mining..
Step 2: The proposal goes up to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in Delhi.
Step 3: A body called the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) checks whether the project can go ahead.
Step 4: If approved, the company has to pay money for compensatory afforestation (planting trees elsewhere) and agree to rules for wildlife protection.
Reference: Forest Conservation Act, 1980 – Section 2 (no forest land can be used for non-forest purposes without approval from the central government).
Environmental Clearance (EC)
Governed by the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) Notification, 2006.
Step 1: The company submits an EIA report, which is supposed to explain how mining will affect forests, rivers, air, and local communities.
Step 2: A public hearing is held in the affected area, where villagers and stakeholders can voice their support or opposition.
Step 3: The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) under MoEFCC reviews the report and hearing outcomes.
Step 4: If the EAC is satisfied, MoEFCC grants clearance with conditions (like dust control, waste management, or wildlife corridors).
📄 Reference: EIA Notification, 2006 – mandatory public consultation and scientific assessment for large projects.
On paper, this process sounds thorough and democratic. In reality, tribal communities in Hasdeo often say they weren’t properly consulted, or that EIA reports were poorly done. Many villagers don’t get documents in their own language, and hearings are sometimes rushed. Activists argue that the process has become a rubber stamp for big projects, while the government says it is balancing development and environment.
Political debates: balancing development vs. conservation.
The Hasdeo issue reflects a larger national debate.
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Pro-mining voices (government & industry) argue that coal is vital for energy security, jobs, and growth, especially when India still imports costly coal.
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Conservation voices (tribal communities, activists, environmentalists) stress that Hasdeo is an elephant corridor, carbon sink, and tribal homeland—once destroyed, it can’t be restored.
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Politicians often promise both: economic development and environmental protection, but in practice, clearances usually favor mining.
Environmental Hazards
Deforestation
The WII’s biodiversity assessment recorded:Over 25 mammal species in the Hasdeo area, including 9 species listed under Schedule I of India’s Wildlife Protection Act. [4]
“A conservative minimal estimate” of 40–50 elephants using the area at different times over the year. [4] Reports note that forest connectivity and habitat corridors are becoming fragmented by mining block boundaries, roads, and associated infrastructure. These breaks disrupt migration paths and increase edge effects (changes at forest edges that make interior forest conditions worse).
Impact on water bodies and Ground water
Community & Social Impact
For the people of Hasdeo, the forest is not just land — it is home, culture, and livelihood. The majority of those living here are Adivasi (tribal) communities, who depend on the forest for food, medicine, fuelwood, and spiritual practices. Generations have grown up with sal and mahua trees forming the backbone of their daily life.
But mining projects threaten to displace entire villages. Families who have lived here for centuries face losing their farmland, grazing grounds, and sacred groves. While companies and governments speak in terms of “compensatory afforestation” and “rehabilitation packages,” what villagers fear is the loss of a way of life that money cannot replace.
The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 was meant to give Adivasis the right to manage and protect their forests. In principle, no mining can begin without the consent of the Gram Sabha (village council). In practice, villagers often complain that their voices are ignored, public hearings are rushed, and documents are never provided in local languages.
This has sparked waves of protest. Villagers of Hasdeo have organized foot marches, sit-ins, and petitions to Delhi, demanding that their forests be spared. Civil society groups, students, and environmentalists across India have joined hands, framing the Hasdeo struggle as not just a local issue, but a fight for environmental justice and indigenous rights.
Adani’s Involvement
One of the biggest names linked to coal mining in Hasdeo is Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL). While the coal blocks technically belong to state-owned companies, several of them have been handed over to Adani as a mine developer and operator (MDO). In this role, Adani handles everything from removing forests and digging out coal, to transporting it to power plants.
This arrangement has drawn criticism because of the close link between corporate contracts and government approvals. Activists allege that despite strong local opposition, projects moved forward because of powerful corporate interests. They argue that approvals for mines like Parsa East Kente Basan (PEKB) and Parsa coal blocks were fast-tracked, even when expert committees raised ecological red flags.
On the other hand, Adani has maintained that it is only an operator on behalf of state-run companies like Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd. (RRVUNL). The company insists it follows all laws, conducts afforestation programs, and provides jobs and development benefits to local communities.
The result is a sharp divide:
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Critics see Adani’s presence in Hasdeo as a symbol of corporate power overruling community consent and environmental safeguards.
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Supporters argue that such partnerships are necessary to meet India’s energy needs and boost local employment.
The truth lies in a complex space between allegations of exploitation and claims of responsible development — a space where the forests, elephants, and Adivasi lives are caught in the middle.
Fail accomplishment : mining continues despite the court case
Since 2014, the matter has been pending in the Supreme
Court, and the project proponent is conducting mining activities in the area
based on the stay order of apex court.
The RRVUNL in the meantime approached another division of
the MoEFCC seeking environment clearance for the expansion of PEKB opencast
coal mine project from 10 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) to 15 MTPA. On this,
the ministry observed that since the SC has stayed the part of the
NGT’s order whereby the ongoing operation of mining was suspended, the matter
should be placed before the FAC seeking their advice on the whole issue.
Since 2014, the matter has been pending in the Supreme Court, and the project proponent is conducting mining activities in the area based on the stay order of apex court.
The RRVUNL in the meantime approached another division of
the MoEFCC seeking environment clearance for the expansion of PEKB opencast
coal mine project from 10 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) to 15 MTPA. On this,
the ministry observed that since the SC has stayed the part of the
NGT’s order whereby the ongoing operation of mining was suspended, the matter
should be placed before the FAC seeking their advice on the whole issue.
Subsequently, the PEKB project was discussed in the FAC meeting on January 25, 2018
during which the committee analysed the area using Google images and satellite
imageries among other things and observed that the “mining in the area is under
process and forest has been cut as per the mining plan after the stay order
granted by the Supreme Court against NGT order.”
It noted that the mining cannot be stopped now due to the
stay order on the suspension of the mining operation and since the matter has
become a fait accompli situation, the user agency has to comply with the
mitigation measure as recommended in the stage-II granted by the environment
ministry. The FAC recommended that the MoEFCC ensures compliance of all
conditions referred in Stage-II clearance subject to SC’s final decision in the
case.
Nandikesh Sivalingam, a campaigner with Greenpeace, said
that “till few years ago, there was no mining in the Hasdeo region which was
considered pristine forest area that was not to be disturbed.”
“But it is alarming what has happened at the place. Mining
is happening in full scale despite challenges to the clearance issued for PEKB
blocks. These particular mines would end up opening up more mines leading to
severe impact on the entire region. But by the time the legal case will be
over, the impact on the environment and the people living in the area would
have reached a point of no return. More mines are expected to come up in the
area and this is a sorry state of affairs,” Sivalingam told Mongabay-India.
Kanchi Kohli, legal research director at the Centre for
Policy Research (CPR)-Namati Environmental Justice Programme, said that “when
areas are identified as mines, industries or commercial ports, their fate is
sealed in bureaucratic records.”
“One of the key issues is the business-as-usual scenario for
most of these projects even as decisions are stuck either within the executive
or the courts. While legal paperwork and arguments continue, projects continue
to operate making the outcome of that discussion redundant. Project authorities
claim costs have been incurred when all along their operations might be
subjudice. Such actions are no less than deliberately playing into the hands of
creating a fait accompli situation,” Kohli said.
Global Context
The battle over Hasdeo is not unique — it mirrors struggles playing out across the world.
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In the Amazon rainforest, vast tracts of forest are being cleared for mining, logging, and agriculture, pushing indigenous communities to the brink and releasing enormous amounts of carbon stored in ancient trees.
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In Australia, coal projects like the Adani-operated Carmichael mine in Queensland have stirred fierce protests, as activists warn of biodiversity loss and damage to the Great Barrier Reef through increased coal shipping.
These conflicts highlight a common dilemma: short-term economic gains versus irreversible ecological loss.
For India, the debate is even sharper because the country has pledged under the Paris Agreement to reduce the carbon intensity of its economy and reach Net Zero emissions by 2070. At the same time, India continues to expand coal mining to meet rising energy demand. This creates a paradox: while India leads in renewable energy growth, it is also investing heavily in fossil fuels.
Hasdeo, therefore, becomes more than a local forest issue — it is a test case for whether India can balance its development ambitions with its climate commitments, and whether the global South can chart a sustainable path without sacrificing communities and ecosystems.
Conclusion
The narrative of Hasdeo is the tale of a nation torn between two imperatives: the need for environmental justice and the desire for economic growth. Coal has the potential to provide industrial expansion, jobs, and energy security. The living forest on the opposite side serves as a carbon sink, a habitat for elephants and indigenous groups, and a representation of ecological harmony.
Though difficult, the decision must be made immediately. When it comes to sustainable alternatives like solar, wind, and decentralized green energy, India has the ability to take the lead globally. However, we get farther away from that picture with each tree felled and each elephant route broken in Hasdeo.
- 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasdeo_Arand#:~:text=The%20forest%20is%20home%20to,had%20confirmed%20sightings%20of%20tigers.
- 2. Forest Vegetation Analysis and Land Cover Assessment in Tan Sub Watershed of Hasdeo River Basin, Chhattisgarh, India Ajay K Singh and S S Singh, INDIA https://www.fig.net/resources/proceedings/fig_proceedings/fig2011/papers/ts09c/ts09c_singh_singh_5103.pdf
- 3. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/study-warns-against-mining-nod-to-14-coal-blocks-in-hasdeo-arand-101631989863530.
- 4. https://sanctuarynaturefoundation.org/public/article/coal-mines-and-buried-promises-in-hasdeo-aranya?
- 5. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283487709_Water_Quality_Appraisal_of_Hasdeo_River_at_Korba_in_Chhattisgarh_India
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