Why is this important?

The forest’s natural resources provide for the livelihood of 5,000 tribal people. The project was vehemently opposed back in 2014 citing environmental damage and the eviction of tribal people who have lived here for generations. 

But in 2019, the Madhya Pradesh government issued a tender to auction the forest for the mining project.  And Aditya Birla Group’s Essel Mining and Industries Limited won the tender. The MP government has leased 62.64 hectares of treasured forest land to the Birla Group for the next fifty years. 

According to the forest department’s census there are 2,15,875 trees in the forest of Buxwaha. To carry out this excavation, a treasure trove of the forest's natural resources, including Teak, Ken, Behda, Banyan, Jamun, Tendu, Arjuna, and other medicinal trees that total up to 2,15,875 will have to be cut down. 

The locals are vehemently  against this. And for good reason! 

Also, the project cost is estimated to be around 55000 crores. When the mining would happen in 62.64 hectares of the area, why is the company seeking 382.13 hectares of land? The 382.13 additional area of forest will be used for setting up supporting infrastructure for the project. The 2.15 lakh trees that would be cut is majorly to accommodate the supporting infrastructure.