The ‘ancient tribe’ is the ancient Gond people, their ‘forest home’ is the Hasdeo Arand forest in Chhattisgarh … and they are battling (amongst others) the massive Indian conglomerate that is also planning to mine in central Queensland Australia … Adani. Cancels Tribal Rights Over Forests to Facilitiate Coal Mining. The Balinese celebration of Banyu Pinaruh – a Festival of purification and renewal in the islands waters. Madanpur (where I stayed) is an adivasi village falling in the heart of this Gondwana belt.

The Parsa mine is one of 30 mapped mines in Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo Arand region, one of the largest intact forest areas … Thirty surveyed open cut mine sites are due to go online in the Hasdeo Arand forest in the future.

In his hands were an axe, a small scythe and a large crop of grass. “In the proposed coal block area, five people have been killed in the last three years due to human-elephant conflict.

The story remains the same for Ghatbharra and Salhi as well. Also read: Adani and the Elephants of the Hasdeo Aranya Forest. The work of APN Cape York as they muster wild cattle by helicopter, quad bike and on horseback. The average density of the forest which could be lost is around 0.5-0.6, and it would be nearly impossible to remediate the resultant loss from all the tree felling in the area.

Otherwise, the whole exercise will be rendered moot. “An elephant reserve was more of a management concept when it was first designed 30 years ago. Available on Web and Android. The Hasdeo Arand was legally protected until 2009 and mining was forbidden in this forested area. Since 2014, the matter has been pending in the Supreme Court, and the project proponent is conducting mining activities in the area based on the stay order of apex court. On the wall of Janabhivyakti’s tiny local office hangs a large map of the Hasdeo Arand forest marked with the coal mines already operating and those soon to commence. Although some forest right claims have been settled as per the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, a large number of them are yet to be recognised. Thus, it is clear that the public hearing process is crucial. The committee observed that the proposal has been submitted by the Chhattisgarh government and had categorically recommended for the grant of forest clearance, and ASG has also given his considered opinion that there is no legal impediment for grant of forest clearance.

Similarly, Dr Prajna Paramita Panda, National Coordinator of the Elephant Cell at the ministry said: “Singphan in Nagaland had been declared as the 30th elephant reserve of the country in the year 2018. They also rely on products collected there to sustain life – flowers, fruits, grains, seeds, tubers and roots for food and medicines – and timber, leaves and grasses for ropes, mats, brooms, baskets, fires and building purposes. The issue of mining is also expected to feature in the upcoming parliamentary elections. The Adani-managed Parsa East and Kanta Basan open cut coal mine, which has been operating since 2013. Chhattisgarh's 'No-Go Area' for Coal Mining Faces the Prospect of Being Opened Up, Expert Appraisal Committee’s (EAC) agenda, The minister approved Tara and PEKB coal mines, stage-II forest clearance granted to PEKB clearly states, April 2018 been given clearances for capacity enhancement, several incidents of human-elephant conflict in the region, highlighted the need to conduct studies in the area, struck down the rights and the aggrieved villagers approached the Chhattisgarh high court, hearing’s minutes reflect that several voices. Interestingly enough, the area had earlier been proposed for an elephant reserve, but had never actually been notified by the state government. “Majority of the Parsa coal block is dense and reserve forest and opening it for mining is going to impact the forests of the entire Hasdeo region and the nearby Hasdeo river,” said Alok Shukla of the Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan.