{
  "id": 6593533,
  "title": "Tara coal block auction will devastate Hasdeo forests: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/tara-coal-block-auction-will-devastate-hasdeo-forests-congress-leader",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-10T14:00:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tara-coal-block-auction-will-devastate-hasdeo-forests-congress-leader-jairam-ramesh/article71451320.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Congress accused the government of promoting \"ecocide\" by auctioning a coal block in Chhattisgarh's Hasdeo-Aranya region, despite local demands to protect the area's forests. Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh stated that the Tara coal block, covering about 5,000 acres, includes over 4,000 acres of dense forest. Ramesh emphasized that no compensatory afforestation could compensate for the loss of such a vast natural forest area. He called the mining in the Tara block, now renamed Tara (Revised), another example of ecocide with the Prime Minister's support. The Congress pointed out that the Chhattisgarh Assembly unanimously resolved in July 2022 to halt further coal block allocations or auctions in Hasdeo-Aranya. The State government affirmed this stance in July 2023, stating no need to allocate or develop new mines in the region. The Union Coal Ministry had also removed Tara from the auction process in October 2023. Ramesh highlighted that the auction's winner is CG Syn-Gas and Chemicals Limited, a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises. For nearly 15 years, local communities have opposed mining in Hasdeo-Aranya through various means, including protests in Raipur. The Congress warned of the mining's impact on the Lemru Elephant Reserve, which could disrupt elephant movement and threaten several species, including critically endangered ones.",
  "summary": "Congress leader Jairam Ramesh says Centre ignored Chhattisgarh Assembly resolution to keep Tara block out of auction; winning bidder is owned by the Adani group; move will destroy 4,000 acres of dense forest",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "BJP indulging in ‘witch hunt politics’: Congress leader",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/bjp-indulging-in-witch-hunt-politics-congress-leader",
        "published": "2026-09-10T15:47:25.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}