“Mining in Tara block — now renamed Tara (Revised), which makes no significant difference — is yet another example of an ecocide being executed with the full support of the Prime Minister himself,” Mr. Ramesh said.
Changed policy
The Congress leader said the auction was particularly contentious because the Chhattisgarh Assembly had unanimously resolved in July 2022 that no further coal blocks should be allocated or auctioned in Hasdeo-Aranya. The State government subsequently told the Supreme Court in an affidavit in July 2023 that there was no need to allocate or develop any new mines in the region.“The Union Coal Ministry had also denotified 40 coal blocks, including Tara, from the auction process, in October 2023,” Mr. Ramesh said. In a post on X, he shared a June 2023 letter from the Chhattisgarh government to the Union Coal Ministry, seeking the exclusion of nine coal blocks, including Tara, from the auction.
Adani owns winning bidder
The winning bidder for the Tara block, according to Mr. Ramesh, is CG Syn-Gas and Chemicals Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mundra Synenergy Limited, which is in turn wholly owned by Adani Enterprises Limited.For nearly 15 years, Adivasis and other local communities have opposed mining in Hasdeo-Aranya, through Gram Sabha resolutions, public campaigns, sit-ins, and protest marches, including protests in Raipur, he said.
The Congress also warned of the impact of mining on the Lemru Elephant Reserve. Mr. Ramesh said mining around the reserve would severely disrupt the movement corridor of elephants, while putting several other species, including critically endangered ones, at further risk.
