BHUBANESWAR: The purchase of land by Adani Group in Balangir district snowballed into a political controversy with the ruling BJP and opposition BJD exchanging barbs on Wednesday.
While the BJD questioned the state government’s silence on the matter, the BJP said the regional party is deliberately trying to create confusion in the minds of people.
Balangir MLA Kalikesh Singh Deo said there is apprehension among people of Balangir and Bargarh about possible exploitation of the sacred Gandhamardan hills having rich bauxite deposits.
“The state government is yet to clarify the purpose for which land was purchased by Adani Group. The public resistance against BALCO’s bauxite mining project on Gandhamardan hills in the 80s is still fresh in the minds of the people,” he said.
Rubbishing the claims of Kalikesh, deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo said the BJD leader is trying to create an issue out of nothing to stay in the limelight.
Issue of plantation suitability certificate on tenancy land acquired by the company in Bharuamunda and Bartia mouzas of Khaprakhol tehasil in Balangir district by the Balangir divisional forest officer on October 18 is self explanatory, he said. The DFO’s order clearly mentions that the land is suitable for compensatory afforestation (CA) in lieu of the forest land diverted in Sundargarh district for coal mining.
“Has the government given any clearance for bauxite mining on Gandhamardan hills which is a biosphere? If not, then what clarification the BJD MLA needs from the state government? The opposition is creating confusion for political purposes but will not succeed,” the deputy CM said.
An official of Adani Group said Mahanadi Mines and Minerals purchased private land from willing land owners for the purpose of CA. “The company followed due processes of law during purchase of private land. A letter was sent to the DFO, joint site visits were conducted with forest and revenue officials and suitability certificates were obtained,” the official added.
The Ministry of Coal vested the Bijahan Coal Mine with Mahanadi Mines and Minerals Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Adani Group, through competitive bidding in October 2022 for commercial mining. As per provisions of the Forest Conservation Act 1980, the user agency is required to provide an equal extent of non-forest government land for CA for the diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes.
The land purchased for the purpose of CA will be transferred to the state government, he added.