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Dear friends,
Johar!
The July newsletter offers a condensed yet urgent glimpse into India’s current socio-environmental landscape, marked by rapid industrial expansion, ecological degradation, forced displacements, and growing civil resistance. At its core is India’s 8.52 million tonnes of Rare Earth Element reserves, positioning the nation as a global resource hub, but also raising red flags about extraction in ecologically sensitive zones across states like Odisha, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. Large-scale development projects continue to override environmental safeguards. In Great Nicobar, scientists were reportedly pressured to underplay the impact of a ₹81,000 crore project that will raze 130 sq. km of rainforest. Similarly, a highway through Arunachal’s Namdapha Tiger Reserve will result in the felling of over 1.5 lakh trees, despite concerns from conservationists. Human displacement remains a stark consequence. In Assam’s Bilasipara, 20,000 people were evicted for a thermal plant linked to the Adani Group, while in Chhattisgarh’s Rodopali, fake Gram Sabha documents were used to legitimize land grabs. Meanwhile, Dhanbad’s illegal coal mining accident—allegedly covered up by mafias—highlighted the deadly cost of regulatory failure.
Conflict zones also continue to suffer. In Chhattisgarh, "Operation Karregutta" resulted in 31 deaths, mostly tribal, raising questions about the state’s handling of insurgency. In Jharkhand, another deadly encounter blurred the lines between civilians and combatants.
There are legal and social shifts too. The Supreme Court recently recognized tribal women’s rights to ancestral property, a major step forward. However, it also ruled that rehabilitation after land acquisition is not a constitutional right, limiting recourse for the displaced. Amidst this, resistance thrives. A 1,198-day farmers’ protest in Karnataka forced the government to withdraw land acquisition plans—offering a powerful reminder of people’s capacity to resist and reclaim their rights.
We call for an expression of solidarity with the larger civil societies and movements. Contributions from youth, activists and affected persons is much welcome and encouraged for publication here. We welcome suggestions and feedback.
Thank you.
Compilation: Deepti Mary Minj
Design : Akriti Karishma Lakra
Editor : Antony, PM
justiceinminingnetwork@gmail.com
Land Acquisition
India Has 8.52 Million Tonnes Reserves Of Rare Earth Elements: Minister
India has approximately 7.23 million tonnes (MT) of Rare Earth Elements Oxide (REO) contained in 13.15 MT monazite (a mineral of Thorium and Rare Earths) occurring in the coastal beach, teri and red sand and inland alluvium in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Maharashtra, while another 1.29 MT rare earths are situated in hard rocks in parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan, the Parliament was informed on Wednesday 23 July.
How Scientists Were Coerced To Toe The Govt Line & Clear The Path To Destroy Great Nicobar’s Rainforest
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1The Giant Leatherback turtle is among several turtle species that nest on the beaches of Great Nicobar island.
India’s top wildlife and biodiversity institutes tasked with assessing the environmental impact of a Rs 81,000-crore project on the Great Nicobar Island worked under intense pressure to deliver reports favourable to the project. While a 130 sq km swathe of ancient rainforest will be razed, scientists were pressured to report that fragile habitats may be translocated, and that the ecological impact of a shipping terminal, power plants, airport and township would be minimal.
The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife has cleared a proposal to divert 310 hectares of forest land from the core area of Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh for the construction of the Arunachal Frontier Highway (NH-913). The decision comes even as some members flagged serious concerns over inadequate wildlife mitigation measures and the planned felling of over 1.5 lakh trees.
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The land, spread across more than 3,500 bighas, is reportedly being cleared to make way for a proposed thermal power project that will be handed over to the Adani Group. Following direct instructions from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, bulldozers rolled into the scene early morning on 8 July, displacing thousands of families who had lived there for decades. The drive is taking place in areas like Santoshpur, Charuabakhra, and Chirakuta Part 1 and 2. According to estimates, around 2,000 families, comprising of nearly 20,000 people, have been evicted.
The long-term goal of the project is to turn Jharkhand's mining heritage into an immersive educational experience for a broad audience. Tourism Minister Sudivya Kumar noted, "Jharkhand has been known as a mining state. We have taken the first step towards mining tourism in the state with CCL. Now, the mining sector is open for tourists, common men and educational groups." The state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), a subsidiary of Coal India, to kick-start the project formally. The Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC) will oversee operations, with support from CCL and other stakeholders.
Human Rights Violations
On May 14, officials in Bijapur announced the end of “Operation Karregutta” — a 21-day offensive against Maoist insurgents in the Karregutta hills in Chhattisgarh-Telangana border that began on April 21. They counted 31 Maoists dead, including 16 women. But the state had very little to display for its show of force: no senior Maoist leaders were captured or killed despite the offensive reportedly aiming at neutralising senior members of the Maoist central committee allegedly taking shelter in the Karregutta range. And it hides the disproportionately high human cost borne by tribal communities caught in the crossfire, further deepening the chasm between the State and its most marginalised citizens.
Security forces on 17 July killed a Maoist carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh during a jungle shootout in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district that also left a COBRA jawan and an unidentified person dead. Police had earlier claimed that the body of the last individual, found in civilian clothing, was that of a Maoist. They later said his identity is yet to be ascertained. The jawan of the COBRA 209 battalion, Praneshwar Koch, was critically injured in the operation at Birhordera under Gomia police station limits and later succumbed to his injuries. “The second body, found in civilian attire, remains unidentified,” said the DGP.
A serious irregularity has come to light in the village panchayat Rodopali located in Tamnar tehsil of Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh regarding land acquisition. Fake affidavits and Gram Sabha information have been submitted to Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (Mahagenco) in the name of the village panchayat secretary and former sarpanch, a complaint regarding which has now been lodged at the Tamnar police station.
An accident happened in an illegal coal mine in Dhanbad. Here the workers got trapped inside. Whereas the mafia is accused of pouring soil on top. This accident happened on Tuesday, 22 July 2025 in an illegal coal mine in Jamunia village of Baghmara police station area of Dhanbad. During mining, many workers got trapped due to the collapse of the mine shaft and the strong flow of water. The family members and local people are demanding from the administration that the trapped workers be evacuated and if they have died, then their bodies should be handed over to the family members. Social activist Saryu Rai has also claimed the death of 9 workers in this accident and has accused the coal mafia and the administration of collusion. However, the administration has not yet officially confirmed the number of dead.
Corruption
Following a raid on alleged disproportionate assets amassed by Nityananda Nayak, DFO of Kenduleaf division, the officials found he and his family members were in possession of 115 plots. Nayak’s plot acquisitions began after he joined government service as a forest range officer in 1992. He purchased two plots between 1992 and 2006 across Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Dhenkanal, and Sonepur districts. His most significant acquisition occurred during his tenure as Forest Ranger under Khariar Forest Division in Nuapada from 2007 to 2015, where he acquired 64 plots, the highest number linked to any single posting. As Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) in Khariar and Rayagada Forest Divisions from 2015 to 2022, he bought 39 plots. He added eight plots while serving as Deputy Conservator of Forest at the PCCF (Wildlife) office in Bhubaneswar (2022–2024) and two more after becoming DFO in Keonjhar in 2024.
HSBC appears to have breached its own climate pledge yet again by helping to raise billions for companies expanding their coal operations. In June 2024, however, HSBC helped arrange a $900m loan for India’s JSW Steel, which is building a new 900MW coal and gas-fired power plant in the Indian state of Odisha. This is set to power a vast new steel complex being built on 2,700 acres of forested land.
Legal Decisions
On July 17, 2025, the Supreme Court of India, in a case concerning Chhattisgarh’s Gond community, ruled in favour of tribal women’s rights in ancestral property. This judgement can have momentous ramifications, much beyond its specific context. The case concerned the property claims of a deceased Gond tribal woman, Dhaiya, whose rights had been denied while those of her five brothers were recognised. Dhaiya’s children filed a case for her share in the ancestral property of Bhajju Bhajan Gond, their maternal grandfather, mainly on the grounds that they followed Hindu traditions, and under current Hindu law their mother had equal claims as her brothers to the joint property. Some supplementary grounds were also given.
The Supreme Court ruled landowners can't claim rehabilitation as a right after land acquisition, emphasizing fair compensation is constitutionally guaranteed. In a significant verdict on the scope of Article 21 (right to life and livelihood) in land acquisition cases, the top court held that the Constitution guarantees fair compensation for such acquisition, but not rehabilitation beyond what is provided in law or specific policies.
Silver Lining
The people of Channarayapatna, Karnataka and 13 villages have been in the struggle for the past 1198 days, saying that they would not sell the land of their ancestors. The civil society of Karnataka, led by Prakash Raj, rallied together. Farmers and activists were ecstatic on Tuesday after their historic 1,198-day struggle ended with the government deciding to withdraw the notification to acquire 1,777 acres in Channarayapatna hobli of Devanahalli Taluk.
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