Adani ke Stealth Corporate Maneuvers ne Odisha ke Elephant Country mein Badi Nayi Coal Lands Secure kar li Hain

Odisha mein Adani ka Opaque Power Move

September 2024 mein, giant Adani Group ke coal-burning arm ne ek tiny firm ka bilkul nam-matra ke paise (pocket change) mein chupchaap corporate takeover kiya. Price bilkul negligible hone ke bawajood, is acquisition ne billionaire-led conglomerate ko ek massive prize de diya: eastern state Odisha mein 405 hectares ki strategic land, jahan ek massive coal utility banana legally permitted hai. Iske theek teen mahine baad, Adani Power ne isi land par ek colossal 2,400 megawatt (MW) coal power plant khada karne ke liye environmental clearance mangte hue application file kar di. Yeh duniya ke sabse aggressive private coal developer dwara banaye ja rahe thermal empire mein ek aur bada expansion hai.

Nilanchal Thermal Power Project: Key Facts

• Project Name: Nilanchal Thermal Power Plant, jise pehle KVK Nilachal Power ke naam se jana jata tha
• Corporate Developer: Orissa Thermal Energy Private Limited, jo Adani Power ki ek fully-controlled subsidiary hai
• Site Location: Kandarei, Khanduali, Rahangol, aur Dalua villages, jo Odisha ke Cuttack district mein hain
• Proposed Generation Capacity: 2,400 MW (jismein 800 MW ki teen alag units shamil hain)
• Current Status: Terms of reference (ToR) ki maang ki ja rahi hai, jo environmental study ke liye government dwara set ki gayi official guidelines hain
• Total Projected Cost: Rs 27,438 crore, jo lagbhag US $3.1 billion ke barabar hai

Yeh corporate transaction 27 September 2024 ko hua. India ke sabse bade private coal generator, Adani Power ne Orissa Thermal Energy Private Limited naam ki ek choti, family-run company ka takeover kiya. Ahmedabad mein 2020 mein bani yeh company (wahi sheher jahan Adani Group ka corporate headquarters hai), pehle Padmaprabhu Commodity Trading ke naam se business karti thi. Jab Adani ne ise khareeda, tab is company ki registered share capital sirf Rs 100,000 thi, jiski value lagbhag US $1,150 hai.

Halanki is front firm ko acquire karne ka financial price tag na ke barabar tha, lekin iska strategic fayda bohot bada tha. Is enterprise ko khareed kar, Adani Power ne eastern India mein 405 hectares land par control haasil kar liya, jisse unhe ek naye polluting power hub ke liye ready-made space mil gayi.

Do saal pehle, 2022 mein, Padmaprabhu Commodity Trading ne KVK Nilachal Power ko khareedne ke liye ek bankruptcy auction jeeta tha. KVK Nilachal Power, jise southern India ke ek entrepreneur ne shuru kiya tha, is Odisha property ki original owner thi. Company ne shuruat mein India ke late-2000s ke coal rush ke dauran ek bada coal-burning plant banane ki umeed ki thi. Halanki, yeh original project local kisano aur conservationists ke heavy pressure ke aage collapse ho gaya, jinhone local forests ko hone wale severe damage ki warning di thi. Is project par ek bade financial fraud scandal se jude illegally diverted money ke use ke allegations bhi lage the. Aakhirkar company default kar gayi, banks ka paisa nahi chuka payi, aur ise liquidation mein jana pada, jisse Padmaprabhu ko is carcass ko sametne ka mauka mil gaya.

Ab, Adani Power isi land par ek massive 2,400 MW coal utility banane ka plan kar raha hai. Yeh previous owners dwara originally propose kiye gaye 1,050 MW project ke size se double se bhi zyada hai. Adani is development mein colossal Rs 27,438 crore (lagbhag US $3.15 billion) invest karne ka plan kar raha hai, jise Nilachal Power Plant naam diya gaya hai. December 2024 mein inhone environmental permitting process shuru kar di thi. January 2025 tak, India ki environment ministry ke under ek advisory committee ne company ko apne Environmental Impact Assessment ke sath aage badhne ki clearance de di, jo full approval paane ki disha mein pehla administrative barrier hai.

Even though site ke previous owners intense ecological objections ko door karne mein fail rahe, lekin Adani ko poora confidence lagta hai ke woh in hurdles ko bypass kar sakta hai. Woh rich biodiversity ke liye mashhoor is region mein apna sabse bada coal project setup karne ke liye puri taqat laga raha hai.

Yeh project Adani ke us bade plan ka ek crucial hissa hai jismein woh 2031 tak apne coal power fleet ko double se bhi zyada karke 30,000 MW banana chahta hai. Yeh move India mein badhti electricity demand aur federal policy framework ke fayde uthane ke liye kiya ja raha hai, jo primary power source ke roop mein coal burning ko heavily promote karta hai. Yeh acquisition us silent aur stealthy strategy ko bhi highlight karta hai jise Adani Power aksar apna coal portfolio badhane ke liye use karta hai, jaise Kawai ke massive expansion mein kiya gaya tha. Is conglomerate ne Nilachal plant ke apne plans ko lekar koi public announcement nahi kiya. Padmaprabhu ke takeover ko sirf stock exchanges ke ek routine disclosure mein note kiya gaya tha aur chupchap 29 January 2025 ko release hue quarterly financial records mein mention kar diya gaya. Is massive project ka ekmatra saboot environment ministry ki website par application database ke andar kahin dabaya gaya tha.

Bada Ecological Nuksan: Elephant Corridors aur Chhini Gayi Farmlands

Adani dwara submit ki gayi environmental application ke andar, developer ne mana hai ke proposed site natural forests se ghiri hui hai, jismein nearest jungle property line se sirf 700 meters door hai. Iske alawa, yeh plot Kapilash Wildlife Sanctuary ke transition zone se sirf 3.2 kilometres door hai, jo ki hathon (elephants) ke survival ke liye ek essential protected sanctuary hai.

Is facility ko chalane ke liye har saal staggering 9.67 million tonnes coal ki zaroorat hogi. Adani Power is massive fuel requirement ko apni sister company ke proposed mining projects se poora karne ka plan bana raha hai: Bijahan, Gondbahera Ujeni, aur Gondulpara mining operations. In proposed coal mines ko Adani Enterprises develop kar rahi hai, jo is conglomerate ka mining arm hai. Halanki Adani Enterprises abhi in mines ke liye environmental permits secure karne ki koshish kar rahi hai, lekin in projects ko local movements aur environmental groups ke jabardast virodh ka samna karna pad raha hai jo apni zameen bachane ke liye lad rahe hain.

24 January 2025 ko, central environment ministry ki coal-based energy projects ke liye specialist committee ne Adani ki environmental application ko evaluate kiya. Committee ne ministry ko recommend kiya ke developer ko Environmental Impact Assessment karne ka right diya jaye, jo pehla administrative step hai. Halanki 18 February 2025 tak formal ministry approval pending tha, lekin aisi expert panel recommendations par lagbhag hamesha rubber-stamp lag hi jata hai.

Ek baar jab yeh environmental assessment finalize ho jayega, toh Odisha state government ko legally affected local communities ke sath ek public consultation karna hoga. Is proceeding ko record karke final decision ke liye central expert committee ko bheja jayega. Historically, yeh public consultation hi woh jagah hoti hai jahan local residents ko destructive developments ke khilaf apni aawaz uthane ka sabse strong platform milta hai. Is wajah se, aane wale mahine kaafi crucial honge, khaaskar is project ki highly controversial history ko dekhte hue.

Local Virodh aur Financial Scandals ka ek Sordid Itihaas

2012 mein, Orissa High Court ne ek local citizen group dwara file ki gayi lawsuit ke baad intervene kiya aur original project par rok laga di. Petition mein point out kiya gaya tha ki construction required forest permissions ke bina shuru ho raha tha aur iske elephant sanctuary ke paas hone par serious concern jataye gaye the. Legal ruling ke mutabik owners ko National Board for Wildlife se clearance lena zaroori tha. Response mein, power company ne environmental regulations ke ek loophole ka fayda uthane ki koshish ki. Unhone court mein argue kiya ki kyunki elephant sanctuary ko officially 2011 mein declare kiya gaya tha, jabki unka project usse pehle propose hua tha, isliye wildlife protection laws unpar strictly apply nahi hone chahiye.

In saaf khatron ke bawajood, is coal project ko Odisha state government ka full backing mila hua tha, jise tab Biju Janata Dal (BJD) lead kar rahi thi. State ke apne wildlife board ne, jo supposedly native wildlife ko dhyan mein rakh kar developments ko vet karne ke liye responsible hai, project ko green light de di. Yeh claim karte hue bhi ki coal plant ka local wildlife par koi negative impact nahi padega, state wildlife board ne wild elephants ki safety ke liye kuch conditions rakhin. In conditions mein elephants ke khane ke liye trees lagana aur underpasses banana shamil tha. Halanki, yeh underpasses aur roads shayad sirf immediate project roadways ke liye design kiye gaye the, jisse is industrial growth ke karan hone wale bade heavy traffic risks ka koi solution nahi mil raha tha.

2013 tak, jab project court mein puri tarah jam ho chuka tha, jin chhote kisano ko apni zameen chhodne par majboor kiya gaya tha, unhone Chief Minister se apni zameen wapas dilane ki guhaar lagayi. Kisano ki madad karne ke bajaye, Chief Minister ne 2014 mein is coal project ko aur push kiya, aur seedhe federal government ko likh kar private developer ko vital wildlife clearance dene ki demand ki.

Usse kaafi pehle, 2009 mein, High court ne bilkul alag grounds par construction ko freeze kar diya tha. Ek lawsuit mein developers par aarop lagaya gaya tha ki unhone badnaam Satyam Computers corporate fraud ke chori ke paise se is project ko fund kiya hai, jahan ek major IT firm ke head ne massive embezzlement ki baat qubool ki thi. Satyam founder ki family ke control wali ek firm is power plant development mein heavily involved thi.

Halanki in proceedings ke direct court records ab High Court ke database par accessible nahi hain, lekin India ki Central Electricity Authority dwara publish ki gayi ek 2016 ki status report confirm karti hai ki judicial freeze May 2015 tak active raha. March 2016 ke aaspaas construction thode samay ke liye phir shuru hua, lekin baad ke government reports se pata chalta hai ki project ek baar phir stall ho gaya. 2020 tak, unpaid creditors ke pressure mein, bankrupt power company ko national insolvency system ke under liquidate karne ka legal order de diya gaya.

The Shadowy Intermediary: Padmaprabhu Kaun Hai?

Yeh ruka hua project aakhirkar ek unusual chain of events ke zariye Adani ke haath lag hi gya. Liquidation process ek public auction ke zariye hua, jise 2021 ke dauran corporate liquidators ne pandemic ka bahana banakar baar-baar delay kiya. Assets ko aakhirkar 2022 ke ek auction mein Padmaprabhu Commodity Trading ko bech diya gaya. Company ne baad mein apna naam badalkar Odisha Thermal Energy Private Limited kar liya, aur 27 September 2024 ko yeh Adani Power ki wholly-owned subsidiary ban gayi. Yeh corporate marriage stock exchanges ke ek mandatory regulatory filing ke zariye saamne aayi. Interestingly, is filing mein Padmaprabhu ko ek simple commodity trading enterprise ke roop mein dikhaya gaya tha. Iske coal-burning ambitions ka akela hint ek choti si line thi jismein likha tha ki acquisition ka maqsad acquired land par infrastructure banana aur capacity badhana hai. Bilkul yahi language 29 January 2025 ko release ki gayi quarterly earnings statement mein repeat ki gayi, jisse is move ko behadd low-profile rakha gaya. Adani ke primary investor presentations ya media releases mein is acquisition ka koi mention nahi tha.

Un financial disclosures mein, Adani Power ne confirm kiya ki usne is company ko khareedne ke liye sirf Rs 100,000 (pocket change) ka payment kiya. 405 hectares prized land hold karne wali company ke liye itna ridiculously low price tag is transaction mein Padmaprabhu Commodity Trading ke actual function par bade sawaal khade karta hai.

Official auction records se pata chalta hai ki plant ke assets ke liye minimum bidding price shuruat mein Rs 103 crore set kiya gaya tha, aur baad mein ise ghatakar Rs 76 crore kiya gaya, jo ki final price tha jo Padmaprabhu ne pay kiya.

Yeh abhi bhi ek mystery hai ki Adani Power ne original bankruptcy auction mein directly participate kyun nahi kiya. Apne stock exchange filings mein, Adani Power ne assert kiya tha ki Padmaprabhu koi related party nahi thi. Corporate registry filings ke mutabik, Padmaprabhu ke directors ke roop mein Kushal Mohit Shah aur Kinnari Mohit Shah ke naam listed hain, jismein Kushal managing director hain. Yeh dono Ahmedabad se operate hone wali financial aur cement companies mein bhi directorships hold karte hain.

Ahmedabad mein isi naam ke ek couple dwara kiye gaye community charity work ko highlight karne wali ek single Facebook post ke alawa, is pair ke baare mein virtually koi public data nahi hai. Kya is massive industrial property ko sirf Rs 100,000 ki nominal fee par Adani Power ko transfer karna charity ka hi ek aur roop hai, yeh ek khula sawaal (open question) hai.

Is transaction ke piche ki kahani jo bhi ho, reality badli nahi hai: Adani Power ke control mein ab ek aur massive coal facility aa chuki hai. 2,400 MW par, yeh plant Adani ke operating fleet mein Mundra, Tiroda, aur Singrauli ke plants ke theek peeche, chautha sabse bada coal-burning facility hoga. Yeh takeover dikhata hai ki kaise Adani apne coal empire ko tezi se badhane ke liye bankruptcy system ko exploit karta hai, jabki Padmaprabhu ka yeh bizarre intermediary role un highly calculated, opaque, aur hidden tareeqon ko expose karta hai jinhe yeh conglomerate band darwazon ke peeche expand karne ke liye use karta hai.