Hasdeo Aranya: Panchayat Secretaries admits mining fraud

Ambikapur | Correspondent: The Panchayat Secretaries of Hasdeo Aranya have alleged that fraudulent proposals were prepared for the coal mines in the region.

These claims were made by the Sarpanch secretaries during a hearing before the Scheduled Tribes Commission, which was convened to address concerns against Adani’s MDO coal mines in Hasdeo Aranya.

The statements of the Panchayat Secretaries have sparked controversy on Tuesday.

During the hearing before Scheduled Tribes Commission regarding alleged fake Gram Sabha Panchayat Secretary of Salhi and Ghatbarra revealed that the that the proposal granting consent for mining was inserted after the Gram Sabha meetings, under pressure from higher authorities.

They also claimed that the Gram Sabha register was tampered with post-meeting.

In addition to officials from the Scheduled Tribes Commission, representatives from the Surguja district administration and the Rajasthan government were present at the hearing.

Chhatrapal Singh Tekam, the secretary of Salhi Gram Panchayat, which is affected by the Parsa mine, admitted before the commission that he was coerced into adding a 22nd proposal related to the mine during the Gram Sabha meetings held on 27-01-2018 and 24-01-2018 in Salhi and Hariharpur.

This proposal, which purportedly grants consent to the Parsa mine, has been the subject of ongoing demands for investigation by the residents of the affected villages.

Tekam further stated that he was held in the Tehsildar’s office for 15 days from the date of Gram Sabha notification, during which he was not even allowed to go home.

He alleged that the then SDM had taken possession of the Gram Sabha attendance register.

Hasdeo Mines

Three coal mines PEKB, Parsa, and Kete Extension of Hasdeo Aranya have been allotted to the Rajasthan government.

All the three mines have been handed over to the Adani group by the Rajasthan government under MDO.

First phase of Parsa East Kete Basan (PEKB) mine was to be excavated by the year 2028, but it has already been dug and the coal has been finished off six years before.

The tribals in this area allege that the required consents from the Gram Sabha for these mines were obtained through fraudulent means.

They claim that the villagers were unaware of these proceedings, and other officials within the Panchayat were not informed either.

In some cases, the signatures of deceased individuals were even forged on the documents.