"Assam Adani power plant faces controversy: Forest & Rights Act violations alleged in land handover", 15 June 2025

The land in question is part of the Paglijhora PRF (Protected Reserved Forest) under under Parbatjhora Forest Division in Kokrajhar district.

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A controversy has erupted following the alleged violation of both the Forest (Conservation) Act (F(C) Act) and the Forest Rights Act in the purported handover of forest land to Adani Group for a new thermal power plant in Assam’s Kokrajhar district. The move has drawn sharp criticism, as it appears to bypass critical environmental and social safeguards mandated by Indian law. The land in question is part of the Paglijhora PRF (Protected Reserved Forest) under under Parbatjhora Forest Division in Kokrajhar district. Crucially, in April 2025, Forest Rights were officially accorded to indigenous people over 280 hectares of this very forest land under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. This recognition also led to the conversion of these villages into Revenue Villages, acknowledging the long-standing habitation and rights of the local communities. However, despite this official recognition of indigenous rights, the legal status of the land undeniably remains ‘forest’. This designation necessitates mandatory clearances under Section 2 of the F(C) Act, along with a comprehensive Environmental Clearance, for any non-forest activity such as establishing a thermal power plant. Sources indicate that the actual motive behind recent administrative actions now appears to be to facilitate M/s. Adani. Disturbingly, the land was reportedly handed over to the company vide letter No BTC/LR/803/2025/18 dated April 19, 2025. This direct transfer, without the prerequisite forest and environmental approvals, is being widely condemned as a blatant and clear violation of both the Forest (Conservation) Act and the Forest Rights Act.