Don’t inaugurate Birbhum coal block till green nod: MP to PM Modi

Dasgupta, who was nominated to the Upper House by the BJP-led government, wrote to the Prime Minister on Thursday, saying that if he inaugurated the coal block at this juncture, it would lead to “serious distortions” and open way for unscrupulous operators. “The plans are at a very early stage and there has been no study of its likely social and environmental consequences. The process of securing environmental clearances has not yet begun,” he wrote.

He further wrote that the area where the coal block was located was populated by vulnerable tribal groups and plans for rehabilitation of the displaced people had not yet taken shape. “In recent weeks, Birbhum district has been gripped by political violence and there are serious charges of police high-handedness. There is a suspicion that some of the violence may be triggered by land sharks. Given these factors, I feel that your presence at a formal inauguration of the project after the Durga Puja festival may send all wrong signals.”

Dasgupta added that the Prime Minister’s presence at such an event might indicate that all necessary formalities were completed and mining was likely to be operational within a short time.