The New Indian Express ·
Chhattisgarh’s Tara coal block sparks BJP-Congress clash as CMDC eases auction fears
RAIPUR: A political tussle intensified between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress over the recent auction of the biodiversity-rich Tara coal block in Chhattisgarh's ecologically fragile Hasdeo-Arand region.
As the political rivals trade sharp accusations of environmental destruction and double standards, the state-run entity Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC) clarified that the block has only been auctioned and actual mining remains a distant stage bound by stringent statutory checks.
Leading the charge against the auction, Chhattisgarh Congress President Deepak Baij launched a scathing attack, alleging that the move threatens one of central India’s most pristine forest belts.