Interview: Senior Chhattisgarh minister opposes Land Takeover by New Delhi for Adani Coal Mine in Hasdeo forests. ‘We oppose any action that forestalls people from exercising their better judgement and tries to take their land away’
An ancient way of life is threatened as coal mines destroy the forests of the Hasdeo Aranya, but the people are fighting back, taking control of local governments.
In India, a conflict between various state governments and the central Modi government is developing over Modi’s determination to proceed with a controversial auction of 41 coal blocks. In the state of Chhattisgarh, a proposed elephant reserve in the Hasdeo Aranya forest could prove crucial to whether coal mining in these biodiverse forests proceeds. But if the reserve is compromised to enable mining it will worsen human-elephant conflict for the indigenous Adivasis.
Recently, the Adani group unveiled a cross-cultural art installation titled ‘Gondwana’ – a work by Gond adivasi and Warlpiri indigenous artists from India and Australia at its Ahmedabad headquarters. Is this a bid to whitewash the damage being inflicted on adivasis in Chhattisgarh and indigenous peoples in Australia?
