The people of Mahan have won; Long live the fight – Zindabad!
I was returning to Mahan and Singrauli after more than two years. I had
wanted more than anything to be back in Mahan to see what the people
felt on knowing they had won. The Mahan coal block was not going to be
auctioned as the forests were recognised as ‘inviolate’ – the
information was still sinking in for us in Greenpeace and I wondered
what the mood was on the ground. The people had won over powerful
interests to ensure their forests remained standing – 400000 trees saved
and thousands assured that the forests they depended on for everything
in their life would continue to provide for them. The Essar – Hindalco
joint venture had been first de-allocated by the Supreme Court and now
the coal ministry had been forced to keep it from being auctioned.
I was returning to Mahan and Singrauli after more than two years. I had
wanted more than anything to be back in Mahan to see what the people
felt on knowing they had won. The Mahan coal block was not going to be
auctioned as the forests were recognised as ‘inviolate’ – the
information was still sinking in for us in Greenpeace and I wondered
what the mood was on the ground. The people had won over powerful
interests to ensure their forests remained standing – 400000 trees saved
and thousands assured that the forests they depended on for everything
in their life would continue to provide for them. The Essar – Hindalco
joint venture had been first de-allocated by the Supreme Court and now
the coal ministry had been forced to keep it from being auctioned.
02 April 2015
More than 20 villages came together to celebrate the victory
for Mahan's forests on March 30, 2015. © Sudhanshu Malhotra/
Greenpeace India
More than 20 villages came together to celebrate the victory
for Mahan's forests on March 30, 2015. © Sudhanshu Malhotra/
Greenpeace India
