Mirzapur: Residents Raise Concerns Over Adani Power Plant, Allege Manipulated Public Hearing
Santosh Dev Giri
Billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani-owned Adani Group’s Thermal Energy (UP) Private Limited in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, has recently been embroiled in controversy and facing severe opposition from local residents who are concerned about potential environmental harm. The company has also been accused of orchestrating a fraudulent public hearing.
On April 11, 2025, a public hearing was held to discuss the establishment of a 1600-MW coal-based ultra-super critical thermal power plant in the forested area of Dadri Khurd village, located in Mirzapur district. The objective of this hearing was to secure environmental clearance from the local community.
However, local residents have protested, deeming the gathering illegal. They claim that the affected communities were not invited to the hastily organised public hearing, which was allegedly attended by a ‘hired crowd’. Moreover, no relevant information regarding this event has been made available on the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) website.

People gathered for the public hearing in Mirzapur. Photo: Santosh Dev Giri
Who attended the ‘Jan Sunwai’?
Deori Khurd village is situated within the Sadar Tehsil of Mirzapur. Ideally, the 'Jan Sunwai' should have taken place among the residents of Deori Khurd. However, the public hearing was conducted at the primary school in Madihan instead.
Ramashankar Singh Patel, former minister of state for energy in Uttar Pradesh and BJP MLA for Madihan, along with additional district magistrate (finance and revenue) Shiv Prasad Shukla, regional environment officer of Sonbhadra and Adani Group chairperson Dinesh Singh, attended the purported public hearing.
It was claimed that a significant number of local residents and esteemed individuals from the district participated in this 'Jan Sunwai'. It was also asserted that the establishment of the power plant would create numerous job opportunities for the local population and contribute to the district's development. Local MLA Ramashankar Singh Patel emphasised the potential for growth, even highlighting employment prospects for women.
However, during this assembly convened for the purpose of securing environmental approval, the MLA failed to address the potential environmental harm, the threats to wildlife inhabiting the forests of Deori Madihan, the challenges that may arise from deforestation and the impending water crisis that could worsen in the future.
For these reasons, the public hearing was openly opposed. The protesters said that the way outsiders, especially people from other areas including Rajgarh development block area, were called instead of local people, was part of a well-planned strategy, so that the voice of the local people could be suppressed.
Residents alleged that the representatives of the company have consistently overlooked the interests of the public from the outset. Previously, Welspun Power Energy made vigorous attempts to acquire farmers' land, but ultimately, the company was forced to withdraw.
Currently, similar actions are being undertaken by Adani's Mirzapur Thermal Energy (UP) Private Limited.

Forests are being cut, and heavy vehicles are passing through forest trails. Photo: Santosh Dev Giri
Why was a public hearing conducted prior to the NGT hearing?
Concerns around the environmental implications of this project have led individuals to question whether it constitutes a breach of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification of 2006.
This situation echoes past events. In 2016, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) annulled the environmental clearance previously granted for the same location, and currently, a case concerning unlawful construction is pending before the tribunal.
Villagers assert that a case regarding illegal construction by Adani's company is still under consideration by the NGT, with the next hearing scheduled for May 23. Given this context, they are puzzled by the necessity of a public hearing prior to the tribunal's decision.
The villagers express their concerns that the NGT report has not yet been released, raising questions about the urgency of the public hearing.
Ramagya Singh, a farmer from Dadri Khurd village, spoke to The Wire Hindi and accused the environmental public hearing process of irregularities, lack of transparency and violation of environmental regulations.
"Local residents and farmers from Mirzapur district have submitted a letter to the District Magistrate, Regional Officer, and Pollution Control Board, detailing the significant irregularities observed in the environmental public hearing process," he said.
A concealed public hearing?
Farmer Ramagya Singh asserts that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report has not yet been made publicly accessible, despite the legal requirement for its publication prior to the environmental public hearing. He notes that as of 11 am on April 11, 2025, the report was not available on the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, the Ministry of Forest and Environment, or any public portal. In addition, there was no announcement in local newspapers, nor was there any outreach at the village level, raising concerns about the transparency of the public hearing process.
He adds, "When we attempted to meet with the relevant officials, we were prevented from doing so. During the public hearing, individuals who are directly or indirectly linked to the project were invited as chief guests compromising the impartiality of the proceedings."
Expressing their concern, villagers say that officials may be undermining transparency. They emphasise that this region is particularly sensitive in terms of environmental and biodiversity considerations. The proposed project is anticipated to have significant negative impacts on local geo-ecology, water resources, forested areas and rural livelihoods.
The local community is calling for the immediate cancellation of the public hearing and demands that all related documents, including the EIA report, be promptly made available to the public. They also request an independent and impartial high-level investigation into the matter to prevent such irregularities in the future.

Danger looms over the Madihaan forest. Photo: Santosh Dev Giri
A threat to the environment
The Adani Group plans to construct a power plant within the Madihan forest range, an area recognised as a vital natural resource in India. This forest is home to numerous protected wildlife species, many of which are rare in Uttar Pradesh. In 2019, the divisional forest officer (DFO) proposed to the Uttar Pradesh forest department that this area be designated as a 'Bear Conservation Reserve'.
However, the state government has yet to respond to this proposal.
Local residents are worried that the destruction of the Madihan forests will not only endanger wildlife and the environment but will also exacerbate the water crisis in surrounding regions, directly affecting agriculture and the daily lives of nearby inhabitants. Such circumstances could lead to issues like migration and food scarcity.
Previously, the Welspun Energy Power Project in Mirzapur faced scrutiny for violating environmental regulations, following which the project was cancelled by the NGT. The apprehensions voiced by local farmers regarding the Welspun Energy project are now being echoed in relation to Adani's thermal power initiative.
This article was translated from The Wire Hindi by Naushin Rehman. Read the original article here.
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