In a major blow to India vanishing green cover, over 3.68 lakh trees are set to be “affected” due to the controversial Parsa East Kente Basan (PEKB) coal mining project in the Hasdeo Arand forest of Chhattisgarh. The disclosure was made by Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, as concerns mount over the ecological cost of expanding mining in one of India last remaining old-growth forests.
Hasdeo Arand, a vast stretch of dense forest spanning 1.7 lakh hectares, is home to rich biodiversity and is considered a vital carbon sink in central India. Despite its ecological sensitivity and opposition from tribal communities and environmentalists, permissions for mining expansion have been granted twice, the minister confirmed.
Responding to a question by CPI (ML) MP Raja Ram Singh, who flagged the loss of over two lakh trees for the Adani-operated coal project, the minister clarified that 3,68,217 trees are projected to be impacted in total. He stated that forest clearance was issued following the Chhattisgarh government’s proposal and that compensatory afforestation and other mitigation measures were part of the approval conditions.
Public hearings were held in the affected villages as far back as 2009 and again in 2016, with issues ranging from water pollution and forest loss to cultural disruption and rehabilitation being raised. However, the Expert Appraisal Committee cleared the project after reviewing these concerns. In 2022, the Centre approved a 20% expansion of coal output from 15 to 18 million tonnes per annum, even as environmentalists warned of irreversible damage.
The minister said that cumulative environmental impact assessments were conducted, covering effects on air, water, soil, and biodiversity, and mitigation plans such as dust suppression, reforestation, and noise control were proposed.
While the government insists that mining activities will follow legal frameworks like the Forest Conservation Act and the Environment Protection Act, critics argue that the cost to nature and tribal rights is too steep. The Hasdeo Arand region has witnessed continued protests from indigenous groups who claim violations of the Forest Rights Act and demand a halt to deforestation in the name of development.
This isn’t the first time Hasdeo has made headlines. In January 2022, the environment ministry greenlit further mining across 1,136 hectares despite widespread demonstrations, citing exhausted reserves in earlier allocations. With coal extraction ramping up under the PEKB block, environmentalists now fear that what remains of Hasdeo’s ancient forest may not survive much longer.