Protecting Hasdeo: Tribals Stand Against Deforestation for Coal

Alok Shukla highlights the protest of tribals in Chhattisgarh's Hasdeo Aranya forests against coal mining. He emphasizes that the region can be conserved while fulfilling India's coal needs. Shukla critiques the misleading 'development' narrative and stresses on genuine community consent for mining projects.

The Hasdeo Aranya forests in Chhattisgarh, rich in biodiversity, face a threat from coal mining. Forest rights activist Alok Shukla, a recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize, condemns the mining operations that endanger both the environment and the livelihoods of local tribes.

Shukla argues that coal mining is not a necessity for development and exposes communities to broken promises by corporations. The local Gram Sabhas stand firm in rejecting proposals that threaten their ancestral lands, calling for respect and transparent consent processes.

With significant coal reserves, India aims to balance energy needs and forest conservation. Shukla urges the government to explore alternative coal sources, protecting Hasdeo's ecological and cultural heritage while critiquing mining-rehabilitation narratives as misleading.

(With inputs from agencies.)