Raipur. Politics has intensified regarding the cutting of trees in Hasdev Aranya of Chhattisgarh. Both Congress and BJP are engaged in allegations and counter-allegations. Congress, which was silent till now while being in government regarding the opening of coal block here, has now come out in protest. It seems that after the crushing defeat in the assembly elections, Congress is now searching for Sanjeevani in Hasdev Aranya for the general elections. This is the reason why Congress leaders are now vocally opposing the coal block. The irony is that the permission for Parsa East Kete Basan Coal Block to be opened in Hasdev Aranya was given by the Congress government at the Centre. Firstly, approval for diversion of 1898.328 hectares of forest land for this mine was given by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 15/03/2012. When there was Congress government at the centre.
Parsa East Kete Bassen Coal Block was allotted to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited, Jaipur (RRVUNL). MDO for coal block by Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited, Jaipur (RRVUNL). Parsa Kete Coal Limited (a venture of M/s Adani Enterprises) has been appointed. After getting necessary permissions like mining lease approval, environment approval, forest diversion approval, mining work on Parsa East Kete Basan started in 2012 without any local opposition.
Whereas, under Parsa East Kete Basen Phase-2, approval of 1136 hectares of land was given by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on 02/02/2022. The final phase of approval for forest land diversion was given by the Forest Department, Government of Chhattisgarh on 25/03/2022, when Congress was in power in the state. Now that Congress has sat in the opposition, there seems to be an issue for the return of Hasdev Aranya in the form of Aranya. BJP leaders have accused Congress of two-faced political conduct. He says that the entire paper work of Hasdev Aranya which the Congress party is doing politics about was done during the time of Congress and today when they came out of power, they are putting the entire blame on BJP.
BJP says that on June 23, 2022, the DGPS survey report was verified by Forest Division Surguja Chhattisgarh to Rajasthan Government, Deputy Divisional Officer Udaipur and Range Officer Udaipur. At that time, there was Congress government in Chhattisgarh. This makes it clear that the Congress government itself wanted to give permission for coal excavation.
Claim of planting 42 lakh saplings
Here, officials of Parsa Kete Coal Limited said that in lieu of diversion of forest land under the coal mine project, 42,04,200 saplings have been planted under alternative plantation in a total of 3822 areas. Similarly, as per the conditions imposed by the Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi, a total of 8,20,700 saplings have been planted in the dump and reclamation area. Thus, 50,24,900 trees have been planted so far under the project. Apart from this, according to the Mine Reclamation Plan, about 1 lakh saplings will be planted every year on the reclaimed land.