Adani Power Plant in Chhindwara, MP, India

Description:

Adani Pench Power Limited (APPL), a fully owned subsidiary of Adani Power Ltd is planning to set up a 1320 MW (2 x 660 MW) Coal based Supercritical Thermal Power Project near Chausara village in Chaurai and Chhindwara Tehsil, District-Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. The APPLs 1,320 mw plant is coming up near Chousara. The MP government will provide infrastructure and land required for the project. The Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board (MPEB) is in the process of transferring about 300 hectares of land it had acquired from farmers in 1986 to Adani. The water will be drawn from the Pench Diversion Project to be constructed at a cost of Rs 583.40 crore for irrigation purposes and reservation of water for the 500 mw generation plant which was to be developed by MPEB [1, 2,3].

Basic Data

Name of conflict:	Adani Power Plant in Chhindwara, MP, India
Country:	India
State or province:	Chausara village in Chaurai and Chhindwara Tehsil
Location of conflict:	Chhindwara
Accuracy of location	MEDIUM (Regional level)

Source of Conflict

Type of conflict. 1st level:	Fossil Fuels and Climate Justice/Energy
Type of conflict. 2nd level:	Thermal power plants
Specific commodities:	Electricity Coal Land

Project Details and Actors

Project details	The total land required for setting up 1320 MW plant is 300 hectares including the main plant and all its auxiliary systems, township, ash disposal area and greenbelt. The land for the project has been transferred by MP Tradeco Ltd. along with basic infrastructures [1]. About 10 per cent of the net energy generated from the project will be supplied by APL to the state government at variable cost to be determined by appropriate commission. MP government has the first right to purchase power up to 40 per cent of aggregate capacity of the project for a period of 20 years at such tariff as may be determined by appropriate commission. Balance 50 per cent power can be sold through long/medium term arrangement [3].
Project area:	300
Type of population	Rural
Start of the conflict:	2004
Company names or state enterprises:	Adani Power Limited (APL) from India
Relevant government actors:	Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board , Government of India
Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available:	Kisan Sangharsh Samiti (KSS), National Alliance for Peoples Movements (NAPM), INSAF, Socialist Front, Nirman Mazdoor Panchayat Sangam

Conflict & Mobilization

Intensity	HIGH (widespread, mass mobilization, violence, arrests, etc...)
Reaction stage	In REACTION to the implementation (during construction or operation)
Groups mobilizing:	Farmers Indigenous groups or traditional communities Local ejos Local government/political parties Neighbours/citizens/communities Social movements
Forms of mobilization:	Blockades Involvement of national and international NGOs Official complaint letters and petitions Public campaigns Medha Patkar and 21 activists were arrested on 4th November 2012 by police in Chinaware in Madhya Pradesh as part of a police clampdown on protests against the water diversion project of Pench Power Plant in the district. Her arrest follows the arrest of all other activists of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti (KSS), which was leading the movement against the project.

Impacts

Environmental Impacts

Potential: Air pollution, Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Food insecurity (crop damage), Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Noise pollution, Soil contamination, Soil erosion, Deforestation and loss of vegetation cover, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality, Groundwater pollution or depletion, Large-scale disturbance of hydro and geological systems, Reduced ecological / hydrological connectivity

Socio-economical Impacts

Visible: Displacement, Land dispossession
Potential: Loss of livelihood, Loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures

Outcome

Project Status	Under construction
Conflict outcome / response:	Compensation Institutional changes Negotiated alternative solution Strengthening of participation Under negotiation New Environmental Impact Assessment/Study
Proposal and development of alternatives:	Pench Water Diversion Project (PWDP) is to be constructed for supplying water to the Adani Pench Power Project (APPP), diverting water meant for the farmers. Also, no clearance has been granted to the PWDP and under the law they are supposed to have prior Environment Clearance. The PWDP is going to threaten the forests of Pench National Park and Tiger Project. Hence, there is no need to construct power project there [4]
Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?:	Not Sure
Briefly explain:	Agitations against these two project Pench Water Diversion Project (PWDP) and Adani Pench Power Project (APPP), Chindwara has been ongoing in a peaceful manner since 2004. PWDP involves construction of a 51 meter dam on Pench river, submerging 5,600 hectares of land of 31 villages. The project planned in 80s got clearance from Department of Environment in 1984 for irrigation purposes. The clearance is no longer valid and requires a fresh clearance under Environment Protection Act 1986 and also under EIA notifications. Acquisition process was started in 1980s farmers were given very little compensation but acquisition process was incomplete. Farmers continue to cultivate and grow 2-3 crops in a year from the fertile land. After the agitation, the compensation was increased to nearly a lakh rupee an acre but 90 percent of the farmers have refused to accept it and are not willing to give their land for the proposed project [4].

Sources & Materials

Juridical relevant texts related to the conflict (laws, legislations, EIAs, etc)

The Environment Protection Act 1986
[click to view]

[1] 2 X 660 MW Coal-Based Thermal Power Plant at Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh

[2] Storm brewing against Adani power project in Chhindwara
[click to view]

[3] Adani Power enters MP with 1320 Mw power project
[click to view]

[4] Medha Patkar arrested during protest against Adani Power Plant
[click to view]

Adani
[click to view]

Adani Power Plant in Chindwara Illegal. Attack on Dr. Sunilam and Kisan Sanghrsh Samiti Condemned
[click to view]

Related media links to videos, campaigns, social network

MW proj to be operational by Mar 2010: Adani Power
[click to view]

Do not foresee any problems in Chhindwara plan: Adani Power
[click to view]

MP: Medha Patkar, 19 other activists get bail
[click to view]

Meta information

Contributor:	Swapan Kumar Patra
Last update	18/08/2019
Conflict ID:	934