India: Amnesty alleges Coal India of violating rights of indigenous peoples, coal ministry refutes claim
Mining operations by India’s state-owned Coal India Limited are shutting out indigenous Adivasi communities from decisions that affect their lives, Amnesty International India said in a report. The report traces how Coal India subsidiaries, central government ministries and state government authorities in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha failed to ensure meaningful consultation with Adivasi communities on land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement, and the environmental impacts of mines, seriously affecting their lives and livelihoods. Union Minister of State for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy and Mines Piyush Goyal has refuted the report and said that the report is completely baseless and is floated by elements which do not want to see India's development and prosperity. [Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Coal India Limited, South Eastern Coalfields Limited. All the companies declined to respond].