Mahan Coal Limited is a disputed coal mine project in Singrauli district, Madhya Pradesh, India. The project has been opposed by environmentalists since it seeks to pull down 1200 acres of old sal forests[1] for a coal mine.[2] At least 500,000 prime sal trees would be chopped, and 54 villages[3] with a considerable tribal population would be displaced.[4] However, a group of villagers have also been supporting the mine since it would boost the local economy.[5]

Business

Mahan Coal Ltd is a Rs 5,000-crore joint venture between Essar Energy and the Aditya Birla Group (Hindalco).[6]

Part of the controversy is based on claims by Greenpeace India that the sanction for the coal mine was given based on a Gram Sabha (village board) resolution that had been forged.[7] The land was allocated to the company based on this document. However, in 2014, the coal block land was deallocated by the Supreme Court[8] resulting in sharp drops in the company's stocks.[9]

Its original allocation in 2006 is part of the Indian coal allocation scam. During investigations, the Ministry of Power stated that it had opposed a role for Hindalco in the mine,[1] but the coal ministry under Manmohan Singh allocated the mine to the joint company.

Opposition by Greenpeace India

Since the BJP government came to power, the project has seen considerable support, and has been linked in the media for the Government actions against Greenpeace India.[10]

In January 2015, Priya Pillai, a Greenpeace campaigner, who was very active in Mahan, was offloaded from a flight while she was to meet some British MPs inquiring into the matter.[11] The issue is relevant to Britain, since Essar Power is listed in the London Stock Exchange.

In March 2015, the Ministry of Environment did not give a clearance for the project,[12] and subsequently Ministry of Coal announced that the Mahan coal block would not be auctioned for mining, which was viewed as a victory by the tribespeople living in the villages.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 Jay Mazoomdaar (23 February 2014). "The curious case of Moily, Essar, Hindalco and Mahan coal block". Firstpost India. quote: Ministry of Power [told the CBI] that it did not recommend the 2006 allocation of Mahan coal block to Hindalco. Instead, it claimed to have asked the Ministry of Coal to allocate Mahan to Essar Power.
  2. ↑ "Mahan at all costs". www.downtoearth.org.in. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  3. ↑ Niyogy, Kingshuk (6 November 2015). "A war to save our forests". Livemint.com/. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  4. 1 2 "How tribal Indians beat big coal firms". BBC. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  5. ↑ Santoshi, Neeraj (4 February 2015). "Madhya Pradesh: Battle for coal divides Mahan villages". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  6. ↑ "Business News, India Stock Market, Personal Finance, IPO, Financial News Headlines". The Financial Express. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  7. ↑ Milind Ghatwai (13 January 2015). "Essar, Hindalco's Mahan coal block: Lobbying for 3 yrs, Greenpeace claims clearance given under pressure". Financial Express.Quote: Greenpeace alleged that signatures of most of the villagers had been forged and that the resolution also included signatures of at least six villagers who were not alive.
  8. ↑ "Supreme Court cancels 214 of 218 coal block allocations; gives operational mines 6 months to wrap up". dna. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  9. ↑ "JSPL, Hindalco drop on concerns over de-allocation of coal mines". Business Standard. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  10. ↑ Sethi, Nitin (20 February 2015). "NDA govt's grouse with Greenpeace: Mahan coal block protests". Retrieved 20 December 2018 – via Business Standard.
  11. ↑ "Greenpeace campaigner Priya Pillai speaks to British MP's via Skype". dna. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  12. ↑ Abhishek Bhalla (11 April 2015). "Union government divided over Greenpeace campaign against Mahan coal block project in MP". India Today. Retrieved 20 December 2018.

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