Congress alleges FRA violations in Adani coal mine challenge in Madhya Pradesh

Congress chief Jairam Ramesh on Friday (September 12, 2025) alleged that the Adani Group has begun reducing timber on authorities and forest land for its coal mine challenge in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhirauli in “blatant violation” of the Forest Rights Act (FRA).

The former Environment Minister additionally claimed that the Modi authorities imposed this allotment from above in 2019, and is now dashing forward with it in 2025 with out the important authorized clearances. “This is simply because Modani is a (f)law unto itself,” he stated on X.

There was no instant response from the Adani Group or the Centre to the fees made by the Congress.

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“In Dhirauli, Madhya Pradesh, Modani has begun cutting trees on government and forest land for its coal mine – without Stage-II forest clearance and in blatant violation of FRA, 2006; PESA, 1996. Villagers, mostly Scheduled Tribe communities and even a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), are rightly protesting,” he stated.

“The coal block falls in a Fifth Schedule Area, the place tribal rights and self-governance provisions are constitutionally protected,” Mr. Ramesh identified.

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“These protections have been ignored – no Gram Sabha consultations have occurred, despite provisions in Panchayats (Extension To The Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, and judgments by the Supreme Court making Gram Sabha consent mandatory,” he alleged.

“The Forest Rights Act, 2006 mandates that Gram Sabhas should resolve on the diversion of forest land for non-forest functions,” he stated, including that Gram Sabha approvals on this case, nevertheless, seem to have been bypassed.

“Stage-II clearance from the Ministry of the Environment, Forest and Climate Change for the diversion of round 3,500 acres of prime forest land has nonetheless not been accredited, whilst Modani begins the deforestation,” Mr. Ramesh claimed. “Families earlier uprooted by tasks now face eviction once more — a double displacement,” he stated.

“Mahua, tendu, medicines, gas wooden all will vanish with the implementation of this challenge,” he additional claimed, including it will instantly influence the livelihood of the Adivasi communities. “Forests aren’t simply sustenance, they’re sacred to the native Adivasi teams. Compensatory afforestation is a really, very poor ecological substitute,” he stated.

Earlier this month, Adani Power stated it has obtained the Coal Ministry approval to begin mining operations at Dhirauli mine in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh. According to the assertion, Adani Power has obtained approval from the Ministry of Coal to start operations on the Dhirauli mine.