Jairam Ramesh Flags Ecological Risks in Adani-Linked Singrauli Project

Congress leader and former Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh on Saturday intensified his criticism of the Centre over the approval granted to a major coal mining project in the ecologically sensitive Singrauli region of Madhya Pradesh, alleging that dense forest land earlier identified as a “ no-go ” mining zone was being opened up for commercial extraction.

In a post on X, Ramesh said the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change had cleared the Dhirauli coal block project in May 2025 for mining operations linked to the Adani Group’s Stratatech Mineral Resources . The project involves diversion of nearly 1,397 hectares of forest land , part of a wider forest landscape spread across almost 7,000 acres known for dense forests and elephant corridors.

The Dhirauli block was auctioned by the Centre in November 2020 under commercial coal mining reforms, with the Adani Group emerging as the successful bidder. The Ministry of Coal formally allocated the block in March 2021, while environmental and forest clearances were processed over the following years. The mine is planned as a large open-cast project with an annual production capacity of 6.5 million tonnes .

Ramesh claimed that more than six lakh trees could ultimately be affected by the mining project and argued that the area had earlier been classified under the UPA-era “no-go” framework meant to protect ecologically fragile forests from mining activity.

Environmental activists later challenged the clearance before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) , alleging threats to biodiversity, wildlife habitats and forest-dependent communities. However, the NGT declined to hear the case on merits in April 2026, citing delays in filing the petition. The matter subsequently reached the Supreme Court , which allowed petitioners to pursue alternative legal remedies, keeping the dispute alive.

The controversy has also renewed focus on displacement concerns in Singrauli, a region already impacted by decades of mining and thermal power projects. Activist groups claim that more than 600 families , including tribal and forest-dependent households, could be affected by the project.

While Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy has not directly responded to Ramesh’s remarks, the Centre has consistently defended higher domestic coal production, citing India’s growing energy demand and the need for energy security while maintaining environmental safeguards.