New coal mine cleared in ‘high conservation zone’ Hasdeo forest

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) recommended forest clearance for the Kente Extension ...

What Happened

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) recommended forest clearance for the Kente Extension coal block in the Hasdeo Aranya forest of Chhattisgarh, classified as a "high conservation value" zone.
The Kente Extension block is allocated to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL), with Adani Enterprises as the mine operator under the Parsa Kente Collieries Ltd. joint venture (Adani holds 74% stake).
The diversion involves 1,742.6 hectares of dense forest land and is estimated to affect approximately 4.5 lakh (450,000) trees of multiple species across the Surguja forest division.
Nearly 99% of the Kente Extension block falls within the Chornai River catchment, raising concerns over impacts on agriculture, drinking water supply, and ecological balance for downstream communities.
Tribal communities and civil society organisations contested the clearance, citing non-compliance with mandatory Gram Sabha consent requirements under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and the PESA Act, 1996; over 1,600 written objections were reportedly submitted and not addressed before the EAC recommendation.

Static Topic Bridges

Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (FCA) and the Stage I/II Clearance Process

The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 (FCA) prohibits the use of forest land for non-forest purposes without prior approval of the Central Government. The approval process for forest diversion involves two stages: Stage I (in-principle approval) requires an assessment of wildlife and ecological impact, along with state government recommendation; Stage II (final approval) is granted after conditions of Stage I are fulfilled, including completion of compensatory afforestation and tribal rights settlement. The FCA was significantly amended by the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, which introduced new provisions including exemptions for strategic linear projects near international borders.

Stage I clearance: initial Central Government approval in principle; may include conditions
Stage II clearance: final diversion order; requires proof that compensatory afforestation site is identified and that forest rights (FRA) settlement is completed
Compensatory Afforestation: governed by CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority) under the CAMPA Act, 2016; non-forest land of equivalent or double area must be afforested
National Board for Wildlife (NBWL): mandatory clearance body for projects within 10 km of Protected Areas and Eco-Sensitive Zones
Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023: controversial amendment that exempted certain categories of land from FCA coverage and introduced "van mitra" (friend of forest) provisions

Connection to this news: The Kente Extension clearance is at the Stage I/EAC recommendation stage — the most contested point where community objections should be heard and tribal rights verified before diversion proceeds.

The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 (Forest Rights Act / FRA) recognises individual and community forest rights of tribal and other forest-dwelling communities. Under FRA, no forest land can be diverted for non-forest purposes without the free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) of the Gram Sabha (village assembly). The Gram Sabha is the primary democratic institution for tribal self-governance in Scheduled Areas. Forging or bypassing Gram Sabha consent constitutes a legal violation of the FRA and has been flagged in multiple Hasdeo-related clearances.

FRA, 2006: recognises two types of rights — Individual Forest Rights (IFR) and Community Forest Rights (CFR)
Critical Wildlife Habitat: FRA allows declaration of Critical Wildlife Habitats within National Parks and Sanctuaries; tribal communities may be relocated only after full rights recognition and with consent
Gram Sabha consent requirement: mandatory under both FRA Section 6(1) and PESA Act Section 4(e) for forest diversion in Scheduled Areas
Nodal ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs administers the FRA
State Scheduled Tribes Commission: a constitutional body empowered to investigate violations of tribal rights; the Chhattisgarh commission has documented irregularities including forged Gram Sabha consents in Hasdeo

Connection to this news: The EAC clearance recommendation despite 1,600+ objections and documented concerns about Gram Sabha consent raises the central FRA compliance question — the legal validity of the clearance depends on verified tribal consent, not administrative formality.

PESA Act, 1996 and Fifth Schedule Areas

The Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) extends the Panchayati Raj system to Fifth Schedule areas — tribal-dominated regions in nine states (including Chhattisgarh) scheduled under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution. PESA grants Gram Sabhas explicit powers over natural resource management, including consultation rights and consent for mining activities in their jurisdiction. The Fifth Schedule of the Constitution lists tribal areas in 10 states that are subject to special administrative protections under the Governor's discretionary powers.

PESA, 1996: applies to Scheduled Areas (Fifth Schedule) in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana
Section 4(e), PESA: every Gram Sabha shall approve plans, programmes, and projects for social and economic development before implementation
Fifth Schedule (Article 244(1)): empowers Governors to make regulations for peace and good governance of Scheduled Areas, including restricting transfer of land from tribals
Sixth Schedule (Article 244(2)): separate regime for tribal areas in the Northeast (Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram)
Article 19(5): Right to move freely throughout India and to reside/settle may be restricted in Scheduled Tribal Areas

Connection to this news: The Hasdeo forest sits in Scheduled Area territory; Gram Sabha consent under PESA is a legal prerequisite — not a procedural formality — for any forest diversion affecting tribal livelihoods in the region.

Hasdeo Aranya: Ecological Significance

Hasdeo Aranya ("Hasdeo Forest") is a contiguous stretch of sal and mixed deciduous forest spanning approximately 1,70,000 hectares across Korba, Sarguja, and Surajpur districts of northern Chhattisgarh. It is one of the largest intact tropical forests in central India, serves as an elephant corridor, forms the catchment for the Hasdeo-Bango Dam (which irrigates large parts of Chhattisgarh), and is home to Gond, Oraon, and Lohra tribal communities. The Ministry of Environment had initially classified Hasdeo as a "No-Go" zone in 2010, prohibiting mining — a classification that was subsequently diluted.

Area: ~1,70,000 hectares; northern Chhattisgarh
Classification: "No-Go" zone by MoEFCC in 2010 under then-Environment Minister; subsequently diluted
Ecological role: elephant corridor, Hasdeo-Bango Dam catchment, biodiversity hotspot (rich in sal, mixed deciduous species)
Coal reserves: the Hasdeo Aranya Coalfields have estimated reserves of approximately 5 billion tonnes
Coal blocks in the region: PEKB (Parsa East and Kete Basan), Parsa, and Kente Extension — all operated by Adani group for RRVUNL/Chhattisgarh SECL
CAMPA: compensatory afforestation funds collected from mining operations; managed by CAMPA authorities

Connection to this news: The "high conservation zone" designation in the article title refers to Hasdeo's legacy "No-Go" status — its continued dilution illustrates the governance tension between India's energy security needs (coal for power generation) and biodiversity/tribal rights obligations.

Key Facts & Data

Forest diversion recommended: 1,742.6 hectares of dense forest in Hasdeo Aranya, Chhattisgarh
Coal block: Kente Extension; allocated to RRVUNL (Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited)
Mine operator: Adani Enterprises (74% stake in Parsa Kente Collieries Ltd.)
Trees at risk: approximately 4,50,000 (4.5 lakh) trees
Chornai River: ~99% of the Kente block falls within its catchment
Hasdeo Aranya total area: ~1,70,000 hectares
Coal reserves in Hasdeo Aranya Coalfields: ~5 billion tonnes
"No-Go" zone designation: 2010, MoEFCC — subsequently diluted
Objections filed: over 1,600 written objections reportedly not addressed before EAC recommendation
Applicable laws: FRA 2006 (Gram Sabha consent for forest diversion), PESA Act 1996 (Scheduled Area Gram Sabha powers), FCA 1980 (Stage I/II clearance), CAMPA Act 2016 (compensatory afforestation)
FCA, 1980: prohibits forest diversion for non-forest purposes without Central Government approval
Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023: amended FCA with new exemptions and provisions
CAMPA Act, 2016: governs compensatory afforestation fund management
NBWL: mandatory clearance required for projects within 10 km of Protected Areas