Press Release: Adivasis of Hasdeo Aranya engaged in a historic decade-long struggle to save their forests, life, livelihood & identity

‘Lungs of Chhattisgarh’ in Danger: Felling of 4.5 lakh trees & loss of rich biodiversity threatens to accelerate Climate Crisis

Adivasis of Hasdeo Aranya engaged in a historic decade-long struggle to save their forests, life, livelihood & identity

A press conference was organized by Friends of Hasdeo Aranya on (Wednesday) 25 May 2022 at the Press Club of India (New Delhi) at 12:30 PM. Alok Shukla (Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan); Pro. Apoorvanand (Professor, University of Delhi); Kanchi Kohli (Environmental Researcher), Kavita Srivastava (PUCL), Dr Jitendra Meena (A Collective of all Tribal Groups, Delhi), Hannan Mollah (Samyukt Kisan Morcha, AIKS), and Rajendra Ravi (NAPM) addressed the Conference. As many as 50 people participated in the Conference, where a short documentary on the Hasdeo Forests was screened, followed by discussions and sharing of developments on the issue of Hasdeo.

Moderating the Press Conference, Kavita Srivastava pointed out that the State Government is continuously pressurizing to start coal mining in Hasdeo Forests by creating panic and fear among the citizens with a threat that a complete blackout in the state will occur due to running out of coal reserves needed to produce electricity. The Rajasthan government has been making a hue and cry over the shortage of electricity, while their own policies on Power state that coal-fed electricity cannot last for long, and thus there is a need to generate electricity through new renewable methods. Despite their own policy, the State government is emphasising meeting their electricity needs from the coal sources extracted for which pressure is being exerted on the forests of Hasdeo.

Alok Shukla, closely associated with the Hasdeo issue explained in detail why mining shouldn’t take place in the pristine Hasdeo Forests and also highlighted the opposition and protests being registered by the local communities whose constitutional rights have been repeatedly violated. Despite a decade-long opposition from the gram sabhas of Hasdeo Aranya, two mining projects have been given clearances by the Chhattisgarh government using a process that local villagers allege is plagued with serious irregularities like a fake / forged gram sabha resolution, and cancellation of their forest rights titles, illegal land acquisition, and pressure from the state administration. These villagers had been asking for an enquiry into this fake gram sabha matter for the past 3 years, and even met the Chief Minister and Governor after a 300 km padyatra (foot-march) to seek an enquiry. However, the latest clearances have been given despite this pending enquiry. He mentioned that to save the environment of Hasdeo, the state government in its reports even in 2021 has agreed that mining should not be done here. The adivasis here have constitutional rights since the Hasdeo area falls under the 5th Schedule.

Further, he shared over 4.5 lakh trees are likely to be felled over more than 6,500 acres of beautiful pristine forests. Now, even as this led to a widespread protest by environmentalists, youth and civil society, there is news that a 3^rd mining project – Kete Extension – is being cleared leading to the felling of several lakh more trees. Cumulatively, these projects are being given clearances to make Adani profitable despite the that these projects will cause havoc on this rich, pristine ecosystem.

Adding to the statement shared by Alok Shukla, Kanchi Kohli emphasised how this issue is not just about Hasdeo Forests or limited to the local area but is a national and a global issue, especially from the point of view of environmental destruction and impending climate crisis. It is a political issue as well. While at one instance the government accepted that this area marks significant elephant presence, and proposed a Lemru Elephant Reserve as well, while on the other hand, at the time of clearances the ministries and departments quoted that the elephant presence is little and infrequent. No relevant research or SIA has been taken up by the government to map the severe impacts on water, forest, local tribal people, their livelihoods and traditional-cultural practices, due to the mining projects. She wrapped up by saying that Hasdeo may be able to get all the legal sanctions & clearances, but it will never be able to get the environmental and social legitimacy.

Extending solidarity to the local communities protesting in Hasdeo, Hanan Mollah voiced that the fight against mining in Hasdeo has been going on for a decade, and may go on for many more decades to come. Raising everyone’s spirit he highlighted how we cannot lose this battle, because if we are defeated, not only will we lose but our natural and constitutional rights will lose, the environment and ultimately the humanity, all will also lose together. Water, forest, and land are limited, they will not be born again. Bhumi Adhikar Andolan will organise a convention first in Raipur and then at the national level in Delhi highlighting the issue of Hasdeo and other such movements/cases where land acquisition is being forcefully/illegally done in the name of developmental projects.

Rajendra Ravi remarked on how the Congress government of both the states (Chhattisgarh & Rajasthan) are responsible for mining in Hasdeo while they go ahead and accuse the BJP of helping Adani. The hypocrisy of Congress clearly becomes visible here. The farmers protesting in four corners of Delhi defeating the Central Government against the crony farm laws was just the beginning, now such struggles and protests need to be taken forward at a widespread level.

Stressing the need for public education of the masses about people’s protests to save their jal-jungle-zameen, Prof. Apoorvanand in his statement pointed out that firstly, Hasdeo’s issue is not a local issue, secondly, even if it is a local issue, we need to engage with it irrespective of its location. If Rahul Gandhi says that he does not agree with such a mining policy, then he will have to take some action on it. If Australians can resist Adani to this day, we must too. Our duty now is to make more and more people aware of this issue and strengthen the solidarity with the ongoing protests by the local communities.

Dr Jitendra Meena spoke about the intricate relationship between the land, forests and the adivasis being a unique one and where neither can survive/exist without the other. All over the world, governments are known to occupy the land of adivasis in the name of ‘development’. He says that since the British times itself, quoting that the adivasis are not educated, and in the name of making them modern, their forests, their land have been repeatedly snatched away from them. The Adivasis have yet been unflinchingly fighting to protect their jal-jungle-zameen. Extending solidarity to the local communities who are protesting, he emphasised the need for all movements to come together and fight for the rights of the Adivasis.

Our Demands

• Immediate cancellation of all coal mining projects in the Hasdeo Aranya region
• All land acquisition proceedings carried under Coal Bearing-Areas Act 1957 without taking prior consent from Gram Sabhas be immediately withdrawn
• Cancellation of EC/FC of Parsa coal block; immediate FIR and action against company and officials for “forged gram sabha consent”
• Implementation of “free prior informed consent” from gram sabhas before land acquisition and allocation of any mining or other projects in Schedule 5 areas
• Restoration of the Community Forest Rights title of Ghatbarra village which has been illegally cancelled; recognition of all Community Forest Resource Rights and Individual Forest Rights titles across Hasdeo Aranya
• Implementation of all the provisions of the PESA Act 1996