Congress walks out of MP Assembly alleging illegal felling of 6 lakh trees for Adani project

Alleging that the Madhya Pradesh BJP Government was permitting the cutting of nearly six lakh trees in an unauthorized manner to benefit the Adani Group’s mining project in Singrauli district, the opposition Congress staged a walkout from the State Assembly on the last day of its winter session in Bhopal on Friday.

Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar accused State Legislative Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya of previously providing misleading information by claiming that the Singrauli mining block does not fall under the PESA Act. Singhar asserted that it had been clearly stated in 2023 that the mining area indeed comes under the provisions of the PESA Act.

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Singhar demanded a detailed explanation and clarification from the government. This led to heated exchanges between the opposition and treasury benches. Consequently, the opposition members walked out of the House, raising slogans and accusing the BJP government of evading accountability on the matter.

Earlier, during the debate, Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh alleged that the mining blocks in the Dhirauli area of Singrauli, allotted to the Adani Group for its coal mining project, were responsible for large-scale deforestation. He accused the state government of prioritizing corporate interests over environmental concerns and tribal rights.

Congress MLA Vikrant Bhuria also alleged that the tree felling in Singrauli was illegal and aimed at benefiting private companies.

Responding to the allegations, Minister of State for Forests Dilip Ahirwar insisted that the tree cutting was being carried out strictly as per established rules. “All trees have been felled according to norms. For every tree removed, a new one is planted. Land equivalent to the acquired area is also being provided,” he said.

However, his response failed to satisfy the opposition.