Surguja/Surajpur: Alleged irregularities and scams in coal mines operated by the Adani Group in the Hasdeo region of Chhattisgarh are quite frequently reported. The Adani Group has in the past been commonly accused of inconsistently distributing compensation, using fake approvals by gram sabhas, violating environmental laws and making false promises of rehabilitation.
But one aspect that has rarely been reported is the Adani Group’s unofficial recruitment of local tribals as coordinators, which has dealt a heavy blow to rural culture and caused a rift in rural society.
Who are these coordinators?
The Hasdeo region has witnessed several protests against deforestation, displacement and compensation-related anomalies. It is estimated that there are five billion tonnes of coal under this land, upon which millions of trees form a dense forest cover.
Local residents said that in order to weaken their resistance, the Adani Group has indirectly appointed local tribals known as coordinators.
Their appointment is ‘indirect’ because the company does not pay them their salary of Rs 10,000 directly. Instead, they are handed the money through vendors working for the company. As a result, they can neither claim the job nor prove any affiliation with the Adani Group.
They further said that these coordinators represent the company in the villages as well as persuade villagers to take compensation without protest and stay away from any kind of agitation.
According to the residents, there are 70 to 200 coordinators in the entire Hasdeo region. The Adani Group’s strategic working style can be gauged when one considers that in view of land acquisition scheduled for 2025, coordinators were allegedly activated in areas with potential for acquisition starting in 2022 itself.
Land acquisition and the distribution of compensation is scheduled to take place in some parts of Surajpur district’s Fatehpur, Ghatbarra, Salhi and Janardanpur areas with regard to the Parsa coal block in Hasdeo in January and February 2025. But efforts to weaken foreseen resistance began three years ago when coordinators were allegedly mobilised as frontline warriors.
A protest in Raipur in 2022 against the felling of trees and the promotion of coal mining in Hasdeo. Photo: X/@SHasdeo.
“The Adani company is pillaging natural resources in Hasdeo by flouting all laws and norms. Fake and fabricated gram sabha documents have been prepared here. The company also does propaganda to break and defame the movement,” alleged Alok Shukla, convener of the Hasdeo Bachao Andolan.
Shukla has received this year’s Goldman Environmental Award, also known as the ‘Green Nobel’, for his struggle in Hasdeo.
“Adani Group officials create a pro-mining environment in the village by creating a difference of opinion through some influential people of the village,” he added. “The public hearing held recently for the Kete Extension mine in Hasdeo is one such example. A day before the hearing, the coordinators brought people in vehicles at night and got them to support the mine.”
You don’t have to look for these coordinators. As soon as you enter the concerned villages, they come to you and try to find out about you. They search for your name on Google and, if they have even the slightest doubt, can take a picture of your vehicle and you and forward it to company officials.
A group of four or five coordinators in Fatehpur told The Wire Hindi that their main task was to explain to the people in the village that protesting is of no use and that it is a profitable deal to give their land in exchange for the compensation amount.
Sunita Porte of Fatehpur, who is associated with the Hasdeo Bachao Andolan, said, “The coordinator is appointed by the contractor and he gets about Rs 10,000 every month. He keeps an eye on the agitators and the opponents of the mine.”
According to her, new people are added as coordinators at the time of deforestation. “At the time of the opening of the Parsa-Kete mine in 2012, there were around ten to 11 coordinators. Now there are about 200.”
A cut tree trunk lies on the ground. File photo: Facebook/alokshuklacg.
Porte alleged that coordinators are also given government protection. “In October, when the trees were being chopped, we spent the night in the forest guarding the trees. We saw that the coordinators of our village were throwing stones at us in the presence of the police.”
Muneshwar of Fatehpur said, “At the time of deforestation, the coordinators present such a picture to the government and journalists that everyone agrees for deforestation to be carried out. Their job is to sit at junctions and convince people that having a mine is good. These people spy on us. If we write against the mine or land acquisition on Facebook or X, they counter it, too.”
Local people claim that all coordinators give the exact same arguments in favour of coal mining, as if they have been trained to do so.
Interestingly, a coordinator told The Wire Hindi, “These [protesters] are leading the protest by deliberately bringing forward women who speak loudly. The more eloquent one is, the more money one gets. All of them [anti-mine people] are paid.”
A divided society
These coordinators have badly hurt the fabric of society and the culture of their villages, dividing families. One can understand how the situation worsened in the Fatehpur village of the Gond community because of coordinators with the following example.
The coordinator appointed for this village is an influential person. He and his family dominate the holy place of the village’s goddess Daiharin Dai. Since they are all pro-mining, their dispute with the anti-mining community escalated to such an extent some time ago that the opposing group was ready to establish a separate deity of their own.
The separation of a deity in a tribal village is a grave incident. Although this did not eventually happen, even an attempt at such a parting reflects an extremely deep internal rift.
A protest against the alleged allocation of coal blocks by subverting gram sabhas. Photo: Special arrangement.
Kranti Kumar Rawat, a local journalist who keeps a close eye on matters related to mining conducted by the Adani Group, said, “Some people of the area are working to save their water, forest and land, while some are supporting the mine. This has led to conflict within families.”
Porte alleged, “Their strategy is to create divisions. They also defame us in society, saying we get money from abroad.”
Money weakens resistance
The tribals of the Surguja region generally do not save for the future and mainly borrow money on occasions like birth, death, marriage, illness and festivals. Ever since the Adani Group arrived in this area, the tribals started borrowing small amounts of money from company officials through these coordinators.
Since these officials do not show any interest in taking back this amount, the consciousness of resistance among the tribals living under the burden of this favour gradually fades.
Lalan, a journalist from Udaipur village, said, “The mine has few supporters before it opens. But when it is confirmed that the mine will open, the supporters increase and the opponents of the mine gradually start visualising their personal economic benefits.”
Locals demonstrate against the Parsa coal block in 2023. Photo: Facebook/alokshuklacg.
Internal contradictions
In conversations with The Wire Hindi, contradictions and dissatisfaction among the coordinators also emerged. A coordinator said, “The outsiders who bought land in our villages are getting jobs, and there is no clarity about the jobs of those of us who are already working for the company. Therefore, all the coordinators are thinking of putting forth their demands in front of the company.”
Apart from this, some coordinators have fallen prey to alcohol because they are paid Rs 10,000 a month – a large amount in this area, where a bottle of mahua liquor is available for Rs 100.
When The Wire Hindi contacted an official of the Adani Group, he flatly denied that the company employs coordinators and said on the condition of anonymity: “There are no paid coordinators in the company. Those who are in favour of employment, education and development are automatically supporting the mine.”
I was reminded of a journalist friend of mine to whom Adani officials, while showing their plantation, had paused in the middle and said while pointing to a chameleon and two birds: “See, these animals have also started coming to the forest. Gradually, bears and monkeys will also come. There is no such threat to biodiversity as you people claim.”
Mahesh Verma is a poet who lives in Surguja.
Translated from the Hindi original, available on The Wire Hindi, by Naushin Rehman.