10 lakh petitions to save Hasdeo Aranya in winter session

Raipur | Correspondent: Ten lakh petitions will be presented during the winter session of the Chhattisgarh Assembly to protect Hasdeo Aranya. This decision was made during a meeting of various social and public organizations from across the state, held in Raipur.

The meeting raised serious concerns over the ongoing deforestation in Hasdeo.

It was reported that thousands of trees are being cut down under police protection, despite opposition from local villagers, constitutional Gram Sabhas, and even disregarding the sanctity of the state assembly.

Over 10 lakh trees are set to be destroyed due to mining activities in the three coal blocks allotted to the state of Rajasthan.

Tribals from Hasdeo voiced their concerns, revealing that in the past year and a half, more than 40,000 trees have already been felled.

These are mixed natural forests containing species like Sal, Mahua, Bija, and Tendu.

The deforestation is not only harming the trees but also endangering wildlife and nearly extinct plant species in the area.

The historic Ramgarh hill and Sita cave are also at risk due to the coal mining operations.

Members of the Hasdeo Bachao Sangharsh Samiti stated that both state and central governments have granted clearances for coal blocks like Parsa East Kete Basen, Parsa, and Kete Extension, based on false Gram Sabha proposals.

No consent was obtained from the villages directly affected by the mining.

This was confirmed during a hearing of the Scheduled Tribes Commission on September 10, when even the secretaries of Gram Panchayats testified that officials had forced them to sign off on mine approvals after the Gram Sabha meetings had ended.

The meeting participants unanimously condemned the government’s actions, accusing it of acting like the Adani Group by handing over the state’s resources to industrialists.

They said that wherever Adani’s projects are taking place, the administration is prioritizing corporate interests over constitutional and legal processes.

A state-wide movement is being planned to protest this.

Among those present at the meeting were Sanjay Parate, Vice President of the Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha, Alok Shukla from Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, Dr. Satyajit Sahu, Amit Baghel from Chhattisgarhiya Kranti Sena, and members of the Hasdeo Aranya Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, including Ajay Yadav, Ramlal Kariyam, and several concerned citizens like Muneshwar Porte, Babita Tirkey, and Prathamesh Mishra.