Activists, Opposition events search probe into West Bengals Deocha-Pachami coal mission

Activists, legal professionals and representatives of the Opposition political events on Monday (August 18, 2025) unanimously demanded a judicial probe into the Deocha-Pachami-Dewanganj-Harisingha (DPDH) coal mining mission, over allegations of monetary and administrative irregularities. 

“The West Bengal authorities is working a standalone basalt mine within the title of a coal mining mission. There is an unholy nexus between the State and the Centre. The monetary association behind DPDH signifies grave wrongdoing. We demand the mission be stopped instantly and a judicial probe initiated,” economist and activist Prasenjit Bose stated on Monday, after the Calcutta High Court heard his petition relating to the identical.

On Monday, the Calcutta High Court sought a response from the West Bengal authorities on the DPDH coal block situation inside the subsequent two days.

It could also be recalled that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee introduced the graduation of mining work on the DPDH coal mining mission within the Mohammed Bazar block of Birbhum district in February this 12 months. She claimed that it’s the largest coal block in India and the second-largest coal block on the planet, with estimated reserves of about 1,240 million tonnes (MT) of coal and 675 MT of basalt.

However, owing to the thick overburden of basalt rock over the area’s coal deposits, the executing company, the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd (WBPDCL), is at the moment excavating basalt. This had led to questions amongst activists over why an influence technology firm was engaged in basalt mining on the DPDH coal block.

Mr. Bose claimed that an organization known as ‘Trancemarine and Confreight Logistics Private Limited’ was chosen because the mine developer and operator (MDO) following a tendering course of by the WBPDCL for basalt mining at DPDH.

“However, in April this 12 months, the corporate was acquired by one other company, ‘Himadri Speciality Chemical Private Ltd’, in direct violation of the tender settlement,” Mr. Bose alleged.

In the letter of award for the MDO contract issued by the WBPDCL and accessed by The Hindu, clause 4 prohibits a change of possession of the chosen firm through the contract interval. 

Mr. Bose additionally accused the federal government of ‘salami-slicing’ the three,540-acre mission space into smaller elements and “miscategorising the mission to bypass environmental clearances and public hearings required of a coal mine of this scale.”

Similar allegations had been made by Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Mohammad Salim on July 3, 2025. He, too, sought a judicial inquiry into the matter.

Lawyer and president of the Jai Kisan Andolan, Avik Saha, claimed that the West Bengal authorities is unable to offer passable solutions to the questions being raised within the petition on the Calcutta High Court.

“All official paperwork pertaining to such authorities tasks, by legislation, must be out there within the public area. But no papers in regards to the DPDH mission had been made public by the West Bengal authorities… Documents acquired by the courtroom reveal that income from basalt mining are supposed to profit a choose group of individuals. We demand a judicial inquiry in order that the reality about this can be uncovered,” Mr. Saha stated.

Goutam Ghosh, Secretary of the CPI(M)’s Birbhum District Committee, expressed issues over the injury to pure sources, together with agricultural land, being incurred within the Mohammed Bazar block because of the coal and basalt mine mission. 

“The authorities didn’t preserve its guarantees to the locals from whom they’re buying land for this mission. Based on our surveys within the villages of the mission space, like Mathurapahari, Sagarbandi, and Chanda, solely 20% to 30% land givers have legitimately obtained jobs as was promised within the compensation. The native administration can be cracking down closely on any resistance to this mission by the tribals of the world,” tribal activist Jagannath Tudu stated.