Hasdeo Arand

Context (TOI): Tribal rights activists condemn large scale tree-felling in Hasdeo.
Called as lungs of Chhattisgarh, Hasdeo Arand is a 1,70,000-hectare forest.
The forest falls under Korba, Sujapur and Sarguja districts with a sizeable tribal population.
The Hasdeo River, the largest tributary of Mahanadi River, flows through it.
It is the largest unfragmented forest in Central India consisting of pristine Sal and teak forests.
The forest is a catchment area of Hasdeo Bango Dam, which helps in the irrigation of around 3,00,000 hectares for crops.
It is home to animals like sloth bears, elephants, bird species, and endangered butterfly species.
The forests are ecologically sensitive and are part of the elephant corridor.
The Aranya region is home to 22 coal mines.

Protest Against Mining in Hasdeo

In 2010, GoI designates Hasdeo Arand a “no-go” area for mining because of its rich forest cover.
In 2011, the ‘No-Go’ policy circumvented. The Go, No-Go classification of forests was replaced and Parse East Kente Basab coal mine project was given a go ahead as part of Phase I.
In 2022, Chhattisgarh government gave green light to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam for coal mining as part of coal block’s Phase II.
The tribal community has been protesting against the coal mining projects in the region to protect the ecologically sensitive region.