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All departmental and official works related to the three coal mines in Chhattisgarh's Hasdeo Aranya area have been 'put on hold’ indefinitely, Surguja district collector Sanjeev Jha said on Thursday, 9 June.
The oral order will impact three mines – Parsa open cast coal mine, Parsa East Kente Basan, and Kente extension – which have been allotted to the Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Nigam Limited.
The decision came just days after Chhattisgarh's top Congress leader and state Health Minister T S Singhdeo met with those opposing coal mining and told them:
Following this statement, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel gave an assurance that if Singhdeo doesn't consent, let alone a tree, not even a branch will be cut in Hasdeo.
However, activists fighting for tribal rights in Chhattisgarh say that the chief minister's assurances and the announcement to put the work 'on hold' is not enough.
Many believe that the Bhupesh government in Chhattisgarh is in the process of shelving the coal mining projects as the Congress stares at elections in Gujarat and later on in Chhattisgarh.
Bhupesh Baghel, who advised those protesting the coal mining to switch off their lights before protesting, sided with Singhdeo after the latter met with the protesters and lent his support.
However, activists are not satisfied with the change of stance and say that putting a hold on mining activities is not enough.
Bipasha Paul, a member of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan (CBA), a tribal rights group working in Hasdeo, said that government decision is more of a tone-down step and is not enough.
Bilaspur-based lawyer and environmentalist Sudiep Shrivastava, who has been representing the tribals of Hasdeo, says that the step is welcome but insufficient.
Alok Shukla, convener of CBA reasserting their demands of cancellation of coal mining approvals, said:
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