Cong alleges violations in MP coal block allocation, seeks independent probe

New Delhi, Dec 15 (PTI) The Congress on Monday accused the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh of violating environmental, wildlife and tribal laws in awarding coal mines in Singrauli district, demanding an immediate probe and the cancellation of such allotments.

Addressing a press conference at the party office here, All India Congress Committee in-charge for Madhya Pradesh Harish Chaudhary, the party's state unit chief Jitu Patwari, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Umang Singhar and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Kamleshwar Patel said a fact-finding committee formed by the AICC has found "grave irregularities" on the ground.

Senior Congress leaders Meenakshi Natarajan, Vikrant Bhuria, Mohan Markam, Bala Bachchan, Hina Kaware, Omkar Markam and Rannvijay Singh Lochav were also present at the press briefing.

The leaders alleged that more than 2,600 hectares of land, including around 1,400 hectares of forest land, was allotted for the coal block, with large-scale tree felling carried out without proper consent from gram sabhas and in violation of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, the provisions of the Constitution's Fifth Schedule and the Forest Rights Act.

They claimed that locals and even elected representatives were initially denied access to the area, with heavy police deployment restricting movement.

The Congress leaders further alleged irregularities in surveys and compensation, claiming that only a 554-hectare area of the total land was properly surveyed and that landowners did not receive compensation.

Singhar claimed that after mining activities in Chhattisgarh's Hasdeo, the Adani Group was allotted the Suliari underground mine and Dhirauli open-cast mine in Singrauli. He said forest land measuring about 2,672 hectares was handed over for these projects, involving the felling of nearly six lakh trees.

According to the Congress leader, coal reserves worth more than Rs 11 lakh crore were given to Adani for just Rs 204 crore, which he described as an "institutional fraud".

There was no comment from the Adani Group on the allegations levelled by the opposition party.

Singhar said the 2013 Land Acquisition Act was bypassed using the Coal Bearing Areas Act, PESA provisions were ignored and the gram panchayat's consent was not obtained. He claimed that even though the Centre had described the area as falling under the Fifth Schedule, the state had violated it to facilitate land transfer. PTI SKC RC RC