TM Exclusive: Where is the Congress Fact-Finding Report on Tree Felling in Singrauli? Why Has the Party Gone Silent?

Bhopal- The political stir over the large-scale tree felling in the Ghirouli coal block in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh is now surrounded by several questions. Describing the environmental damage and the growing threat to forest areas as serious, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had formed a 12-member fact-finding committee in December 2025. The committee had announced that it would visit Singrauli and prepare a ground report by December 11, 2025. However, even after more than 20 days, neither has the report been made public nor has any clear statement come from the Congress on this issue. Now the question arises: Has the Congress forgotten this issue? And if not, what did the investigation committee find on the ground?

The Congress alleges that in the Dhirouli coal block of Singrauli, forests are being cleared at an "uncontrolled and unusual pace." Trees are being uprooted with heavy machinery, which is not only destroying forest areas but also posing a serious threat to the local population, tribal communities, water sources, and the entire ecosystem. The party had claimed that this is not just a coal mining issue, but a direct attack on the environment and constitutional rights.

Members of the Investigation Committee

• Jitu Patwari

• Umang Singhar

• Meenakshi Natarajan

• Ajay Singh

• Kamleshwar Patel

• Hemant Katare

• Rajendra Kumar Singh

• Hina Kawre

• Vikrant Bhuria

• Omkar Markam

• Jayvardhan Singh

• Bala Bachchan

The Congress had stated that this team would prepare a ground report and submit it to the party leadership, and it would also be made public.

As per the announcement, the Congress's 12-member investigation team did reach Singrauli. But when the team was heading to Ghirouli village via Basi Berda, the police stopped them near Ghirouli village. Around 200 Congress leaders and workers sat on a dharna on the road. There was sloganeering against the administration, and allegations were made that the government was afraid of the truth coming out, which is why the investigation team was being stopped. Congress leaders had said that this is a violation of democratic rights and an attempt to hide environmental crimes. Later, the delegation did go to the affected areas under security, and leaders also posted videos on social media. But even after 20 days, the findings of the report have not been made public.

What Were Congress's Main Objections?

1. Direct Attack on the Environment The party says that thousands of trees are being cut at once, which is completely disrupting the ecological balance of an area like Singrauli, which is already pollution-prone.

2. Without Consultation with Local Communities Congress alleges that mining and felling permissions were granted without taking villagers and tribal communities into confidence. Yet this area is directly linked to their livelihood, forests, water, and land.

3. Violation of Forest and Environmental Laws The party claims that processes like public hearings, environmental impact assessment (EIA), reforestation, and compensation plans were either not followed or only done on paper.

4. Allegations of Hasty Permissions by the Government Congress leaders had said that clearing forests so rapidly in an environmentally sensitive area is highly suspicious, and there may be big corporate interests behind it.

Why Hasn't the Report Been Made Public?

This is where the biggest question arises. On an issue where the Congress took to the streets in protest, formed an investigation committee, and described it as a major environmental and public interest issue, the party's silence now is deafening. Has the investigation committee prepared the report but suppressed it instead of making it public? Has the matter been put on the back burner due to political pressure or strategy? Or has there been no consensus within the Congress on this issue? The lack of answers to these questions raises doubts about the Congress's intentions itself. After all, why hasn't the fact-finding report on such a big case been made public?

On December 15, 2025, state Congress president Jitu Patwari had posted on the social media platform X stating that the fact-finding report related to Singrauli has been submitted to the party. He alleged that in the Suliyari and Dhirouli mining blocks given to the Adani Group in Singrauli district, large-scale tree felling is being done without necessary permissions, and people who have been settled there for years are being displaced without proper process, relief, and rehabilitation, in the presence of heavy police force.

Jitu Patwari wrote that to bring out the truth of these alleged irregularities, a fact-finding committee was formed under the leadership of state in-charge Harish Chaudhary on the instructions of the All India Congress Committee. He stated that all members of the committee have submitted their report to Harish Chaudhary in Delhi, although its conclusions have not been made public yet.

After holding a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in Delhi on December 15 regarding the Singrauli mining project, the Congress has suddenly gone silent on this issue. That day, the party accused the central and Madhya Pradesh governments of ignoring the rights of tribals, the environment, and the local population by giving open mining clearance to the Adani Group, and termed it institutional loot. However, after that, neither was the fact-finding report made public nor did the party engage in any further dialogue on the subject.

State in-charge Harish Chaudhary, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, Adivasi Congress National President Vikrant Bhuria, Meenakshi Natarajan, Kamleshwar Patel, and Bala Bachchan, along with several senior leaders, were present at the press briefing, but after that, the Congress has almost stopped speaking on the entire matter!

In a conversation with The Mooknayak, when asked about making the committee's report public, Congress organization in-charge General Secretary Dr. Sanjay Kamle said that the findings of the Congress's fact-finding committee formed regarding the tree felling in the Dhirouli coal block of Singrauli have not been made public yet. Dr. Kamle said that the report will be made public very soon.

Decision Will Be Taken at AICC Level: Markam

Congress MLA and former minister Omkar Markam told The Mooknayak that the fact-finding committee formed regarding the Singrauli case has submitted its report to the All India Congress Committee (AICC). He clarified that the committee's role was up to preparing and submitting the report, and that work has been completed.

Omkar Markam said that now when and in what form the report will be made public, or what action will be taken on it further, that decision will be taken at the AICC level. He also said that further information in this regard will be given by the party leadership.

Congress leaders have now maintained silence on the issue related to Adani's Dhirouli coal block even on social media. The issue, which was a major political and environmental question for the Congress just a few days ago, now has the party's top leaders appearing silent.

State Congress President Jitu Patwari, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar, along with other senior leaders, have neither given any new statement on the tree felling and the Dhirouli coal block nor shared any posts on social media. This silence raises even more questions, especially when the same issue was recently described by the Congress as the main weapon to corner the government.