Naini Coal Block : Chhendipada villagers oppose massive tree felling by Singareni Coal Company

By Jagadananda Pradhan
ANGUL: Hundreds of local villagers of Chhendipada area led by congress leader Sashmita Behera and Talcher-Angul Banchao Andolan (TABA) Convener Jagadananda Pradhan today stormed the proposed Naini Coal Project Site and stopped the ongoing tree felling.

The Public Sector and Hyderabad-based Singareni Coal Company Limited(SCCL) has been allotted Naini Coal Project at Chhendipada to produce coal for commercial use. The company is slated to cut around 90,000 trees of the dense forest.Llocal villagers have vehemently opposed it.After acquiring forest land and getting permission,the company through Odisha Forest Development Corporation(OFDC) has started tree felling from Monday last.

According to forest officials, in the first phase as many as 21,000 trees will be cut.

Rampant tree felling for the coal project has evoked widespread resentment among the locals . Today they held a demonstration on the tree felling site by forming a human chain to oppose the tree felling.The villagers also embraced trees in a protest.

Congress Leader Sashmita Behera Slams #Singareni Coal Company Over Felling Of trees By the Company#SingareneCoalCompany #FMNews pic.twitter.com/WW7IRLw7Kf
— Fast Mail News (@FastMailNews) December 28, 2024

As a result, no OFDC officials went to the spot and there was no tree felling today due to protest.There was massive police deployment led by IIC Bibhudatta Patnaik on the protest site to maintain law and order.The IIC said,the protest passed off peacefully without any untoward incident.

Speaking to reporters,Sashmita Behera vehemently opposed the tree felling on such massive scale.She wondered how the government has allowed company to destroy this part of forest which is an elephant corridor and a vital link between Similipal and Satkosia tiger project.She vowed to oppose the coal project and tree felling demanding to put a stop on it.

Similarly Pradhan also opposed the move saying instead of the government giving forest rights on the land is allowing companies to destroy forest.Both the leaders have warned to intensify the agitation opposing the destruction of dense forest.

The coal project will have an annual capacity of 10 million tonnes in the ultimate phase.

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