Fri Sep 12 05:59:42 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten version as a news article:
**Summary:**
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has accused the Adani Group of illegally starting deforestation for a coal mine project in Dhirauli, Madhya Pradesh, violating the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and other regulations protecting tribal communities. He claims the project lacks necessary forest clearances and that the required Gram Sabha consultations were bypassed, despite constitutional protections for tribal rights in the area. Ramesh emphasizes the negative impact on the livelihoods and culture of local Adivasi communities. The accusations come shortly after Adani Power announced receiving Coal Ministry approval to begin mining operations at the Dhirauli mine.
**News Article:**
**Adani Group Accused of Illegal Deforestation for Coal Mine in Madhya Pradesh**
**New Delhi, September 12, 2025** – The Adani Group is facing fresh allegations of environmental violations, with Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh accusing the company of commencing deforestation for its coal mine project in Dhirauli, Madhya Pradesh, without proper legal clearances.
Ramesh, a former Environment Minister, stated that the Adani Group has begun cutting trees on government and forest land, violating the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006 and the Panchayats (Extension To The Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA). He claims the Modi government pushed through the project in 2019 and is now rushing its development, despite the absence of essential legal approvals.
According to Ramesh, the project is located in a Fifth Schedule Area, constitutionally protecting tribal rights. He alleges that mandatory Gram Sabha consultations, requiring the consent of local village councils, have been bypassed, ignoring Supreme Court judgments.
“In Dhirauli, Madhya Pradesh, Modani has begun cutting trees on government and forest land for its coal mine – without Stage-II forest clearance and in blatant violation of FRA, 2006; PESA, 1996. Villagers, mostly Scheduled Tribe communities and even a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), are rightly protesting,” said Ramesh in a statement.
The Congress leader further claims that the project lacks Stage-II clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, despite deforestation already underway. He warned of “double displacement” for families already uprooted by previous projects and significant damage to the livelihoods and cultural heritage of local Adivasi communities who depend on the forest for sustenance, medicine, and fuel.
“Mahua, tendu, medicines, fuel wood all will vanish with the implementation of this project,” he stated.
The accusations come shortly after Adani Power announced it had received approval from the Coal Ministry to commence mining operations at the Dhirauli mine in the Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh.
As of press time, there has been no official response from the Adani Group or the Central Government to these allegations. The allegations are emerging during a time of intense scrutiny on the Adani Group, given their significant presence across a number of sectors.
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