Congress blasts Adani coal project in MP, cites Forest Rights Act violations

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday, 12 September, accused the Adani Group of commencing tree felling on government and forest land for its coal mine project in Dhirauli, Madhya Pradesh, in what he called a “blatant violation” of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.

Ramesh claimed the Modi government had imposed the allotment from above in 2019 and is now rushing ahead in 2025 without securing essential legal approvals. “This is simply because Modani is a (f)law unto itself,” he wrote on X.

The coal block is located in a Fifth Schedule Area, which affords constitutional protections to tribal communities. Ramesh alleged that Gram Sabha consultations, mandatory under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, were bypassed, ignoring tribal rights to self-governance.

“Stage-II forest clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for diverting around 3,500 acres of prime forest land has not been granted, even as Modani begins deforestation,” Ramesh said. He added that the project threatens the livelihoods of Adivasi communities, whose sustenance relies on forests for mahua, tendu, medicinal plants, and firewood. Families displaced earlier may face eviction again, he noted, calling this a “double displacement.”

Ramesh criticised compensatory afforestation as an inadequate ecological substitute, emphasising the sacred and economic importance of forests to local tribes.

Earlier this month, Adani Power stated it had received approval from the ministry of coal to commence mining operations at the Dhirauli mine in Singrauli district. There was no immediate response from the Adani Group or the Centre to Ramesh’s allegations.

With PTI inputs