Category: News

Adani Group: Chhattisgarh tribes’ year-long protest against tycoon’s coal mine

BBC News, Chhattisgarh | Nikhil Inamdar | March 21, 2023

Deep in the jungles of central India, forest-dwelling tribes are marking the one-year anniversary of a continuous agitation against a new coal mine to be developed by the Adani Group. In recent months, they’ve received a show of support from high-profile politicians and celebrity activists. But in this David vs Goliath battle, a victory for the tribes will be hard won.

The village of Hariharpur in the state of Chhattisgarh stands on the precipice of two discordant worlds. To its east, the myriad greys of the decade-old Parsa East Kete Basan (PEKB) open cast coal mine, operated by the Adani Group, stretch as far as the eye can see. To the other side of this hamlet of a few scattered homes, lies the sprawling expanse of the Hasdeo forest, under which billions of tons of power grade coal still rests unexplored.

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No ‘outside festivals’ allowed, nod required for religious activities: Tribal-majority Bastar village’s diktat sparks row

The New Indian Express | March 20, 2023

The Ransargipal gram sabha directs Adivasis not to work in the fields of Hindus and Christians, says Christians cannot bury their dead in the village; the objective is to protect “tribal traditions, culture”, it claims.

In the tribal majority Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, a gram sabha has passed a resolution prohibiting the celebration of “outside festivals” and mandating that its permission be sought for any religious activity. The resolution passed by the gram sabha of Ransargipal village also directs Adivasis not to work in the fields of Hindus and Christians.

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Ensure basic rights of tribals: NCST to Odisha government

The Indian Express | March 20, 2023

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has asked the Odisha government to ensure basic human rights and justice to tribals residing in more than 45 villages bordering West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.

Taking cognisance of a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the apex panel for tribal rights has issued notice to chief secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena seeking a detailed reply within 15 days.

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Locals stop soil testing work for steel plant in Odisha

The Indian Express | March 18, 2023

Villagers alleged that without taking the consent of locals, some officials of the steel company started soil testing work on the village land.

KENDRAPARA: Opposing the government’s decision to hand over land to ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AM/NS) for construction of a steel plant in Mahakalapada block, a large number of villagers stopped the soil testing work of the company at Hariabanka here on Friday.

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India & World Bank signs loan agreement for construction of Green National Highway Corridors Project in 4 States

National News, March 16, 2023

India and the World Bank have signed a loan agreement for the construction of the Green National Highway Corridors Project in four States. These States are Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The agreement has been signed for the construction of 781 kilometers in these States, with loan assistance of 500 million dollars.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said, the total project cost is over seven thousand 662 crore rupees. He said, the objective of the Green National Highway Corridors Project is to demonstrate safe and green highways keeping in view climate resilience and use of green technologies.

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