Green nod obtained with fake docs: Panel

THE ST PANEL RECOMMENDED THAT THE FOREST CLEARANCE GRANTED TO THE COAL PROJECT BE ANNULLED FOR THREE VILLAGES IN CHATTISGARH

- Ritesh Mishra

RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh Scheduled Tribe Commission has found that the process of obtaining forest clearance (FC) for the Parsa coal block in Surguja district was tainted with multiple irregularities and fabricated entries in the case of three villages, the latest controversy to hit the high-profile project.

Forty-one residents of three villages - Salhi, Hariharpur, and Fatehpur - that fall under the Parsa coal block filed a complaint with the ST commission on August 8, 2021, alleging their consent for mining was fabricated. They alleged that the gram sabhas never discussed the clause pertinent to mining.

The commission investigated the claim over three years, and on Tuesday recommended to the district collector of Surguja, Vilas Bhoskar, to stop the process of deforestation that started on October 18. The recommendation letter, a copy of which is with HT, also suggested that the forest clearance granted to the Parsa coal mine be annulled for three out of the four villages that come under the project, fresh gram sabhas be convened in the three villages, and the commission be informed about the decision.

"We did a detailed investigation and found that the consent of three gram sabhas was not taken for the Parsa coal block," commission chief Bhanu Pratap Singh said.