Over 1.2 Million Trees to Be Felled in Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo Arand and Great Nicobar Island: Government

Over 1.2 Million Trees to Be Felled in Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo Arand and Great Nicobar Island: Government

The Indian government plans to cut down approximately 273,757 trees in Chhattisgarh's Hasdeo Arand forests and nearly 964,000 trees on Great Nicobar Island, as revealed in recent parliamentary disclosures. The large-scale tree felling is part of various development projects, raising concerns about the environmental impact and the effectiveness of compensatory afforestation efforts.

The Hasdeo Arand region, spanning over 170,000 hectares, is home to 23 coal blocks and is recognized as the largest contiguous stretch of dense forests in central India. Two coal mines, Chotia I and II, and the Parsa East and Kete Basan (PEKB) mines, are already operational, with additional projects like Parsa and the Kente Extension in the pipeline. The Environment Ministry, represented by Minister Bhupender Yadav, confirmed that 94,460 trees have been felled for the PEKB mine alone, with compensatory afforestation efforts resulting in the planting of 5,340,586 trees. However, experts, including Alok Shukla of the Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, have raised concerns about the irreversible damage to the region's biodiversity, especially the dense sal forests, which contain trees over 200 years old.

In the Great Nicobar Island, the government has approved the diversion of 130.75 sq km of forest land for sustainable development projects, including the construction of a township, power plant, and airport. This initiative, detailed by Junior Environment Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh, will involve the felling of up to 964,000 trees. The government has assured that compensatory afforestation will be undertaken and that the breeding grounds of leatherback turtles, a key environmental concern, will not be affected. Despite these assurances, experts like Kanchi Kohli, an independent legal and policy expert, have called for a review of regulatory procedures to better assess the social, environmental, and ecological impacts of such large-scale projects.

The disclosures come amidst broader concerns about the impact of industrial and infrastructure development on India's natural resources and ecosystems. The government has emphasized mitigation measures, but environmentalists continue to question the long-term sustainability and environmental cost of these projects.