Congress Flags Violations in Adani’s Dhirauli Coal Project as Unrest Erupts in Madhya Pradesh Over Deforestation

Key Points

The Congress on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, alleged that Adani Power was engaging in large-scale deforestation for its Dhirauli coal mine in Singrauli district, Madhya Pradesh. It accused the Adani Group of Forest Rights Act violations and procedural shortcuts in obtaining approvals. The criticism comes amid a wave of public anger in Singrauli, where villagers protested against clearing of forest land for the private power project. Heavy police deployment was reported in both areas as tensions escalated.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said fresh reports from the Dhirauli site showed extensive felling of trees in the presence of police. He called the activity an environmental tragedy and an economic disaster for Adivasi communities dependent on forest produce. He alleged that villagers were being stopped from entering the forest zone and that outsiders were blocked from visiting the area. He also said Madhya Pradesh Adivasi Congress president Ramu Tekam was arrested for raising objections.

Ramesh repeated his earlier claims from September 2025, when the coal project was first greenlighted, that the project was moving forward without essential legal clearances. He said the coal block, allotted in 2019, was being advanced in 2025 despite violations of the Forest Rights Act and the Fifth Schedule. He cited a 2023 Lok Sabha reply from the Coal Ministry to argue that the mine area falls under a protected region. He called the government’s rebuttals false and accused the project of procedural short circuiting.

The state government has denied these allegations. It said all procedures have been followed and that the Union Environment Ministry has granted both Stage I and Stage II forest clearances. It also rejected claims about Fifth Schedule protections, calling them factually incorrect. The Centre issued a similar response last week and maintained that no law had been violated.

See Also: Adani Power to supply power from greenfield 1,600 MW thermal plant in Madhya Pradesh

The Dhirauli project covers more than 2,600 hectares, including 1,397 hectares of forest land across several villages such as Amdand, Basi Berdah, Belwar and Dhirauli. The mine has a planned peak capacity of 6.5 million tonnes per year through open cast and underground methods. Indigenous communities have long protested the diversion of forest land and the risk to the Hardul stream and its catchment. They have also raised concerns about displacement, incomplete consultations and compensation disputes.

Singrauli district, known as the power capital of Madhya Pradesh, already hosts multiple coal mines and power plants. Residents said afforestation drives were being promoted in other districts while their own green cover was shrinking. They warned that the removal of forests would harm grazing land, water sources and daily livelihoods. Heavy police deployment was reported and restrictions were placed on movement into the area.

Singrauli’s Air Quality Index stood at 184 in November 2025. Local leaders argued that more clearance of forest land would worsen pollution. They demanded that the state review the project and consult the affected communities. Villagers have argued that any benefit from the coal mines and power plants may be felt by nearby villages, but for them, it's only a hazard.

The Adani Group has not responded to the latest allegations. The Dhirauli coal project remains contested, with protests and legal disputes ongoing. [Rh]

Suggested Reading: