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Adani’s land acquisition in Bihar
India’s leading private sector thermal power generator, Adani Power Ltd., has received a Letter of Intent from Bihar State Power Generation Company Ltd for setting up a 2,400 megawatt plant in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur.
However, in an exclusive ground report by Bharti News in collaboration with Molitics, New Delhi-based journalist Raghav Trivedi uncovered lesser-known facts behind Adani’s land acquisition in Bihar.
According to the report, though 1,020 acres of land have been handed over to Adani at just ₹1 per acre, the villagers were intimidated, pressured, and cheated into selling their land at throwaway prices.
In villages like Harinkol, residents received no uniform compensation.
Ground report reveals shocking truth
In the video report, some shared being forced to sell at one rate, while others were given completely different amounts. The interview reveals how villagers, depending on their land for survival, are being silenced, and even when farmers try to raise their voice, they are arrested within their own villages during online interactions with the Prime Minister.
What makes it worse is the immediate effect on the environment as the project is being built on land which is home to thousands of fruit-bearing and timber trees, such as mango, sheesham, etc., providing both income and livelihood to families.
Journalist Raghav Trivedi reported that the government labelled the fertile land as “barren” and cleared the way for mass deforestation in the name of development.
Trivedi interviews a villager: “How many trees are there approximately?”
“Ten lakhs,” the man replies.
Trivedi explains that these ten lakhs of trees would be cut. He then says mockingly about the government campaign, which suggests, “Ek pair Maa ke nam”, adding, “Yaha pe ye dus lakh pair kate jayenge Adani ke naam.”
According to the field report, the “Plant a Tree in Mother’s Name” campaign looks like nothing more than a PR stunt when compared to the destruction planned here.
Notably, the report is not just about one village but several that disclose a harsh reality that probably environmental protection is only for social media campaigns.
Journalist Raghav Trivedi is seen asking villagers if they had permitted the acquisition of their lands.
One villager claims he did not give any permission, but his signature was forged. He also added that the price of land that was decided about twelve years back has not been changed, though the deal is taking place now.
A man named Mohammad Israil says in the interview: “Someone is getting Rs. 42 Lakh per acre, someone Rs. 80 Lakh per acre and someone Rs. 60 Lakh per acre.”
Israil urges that if their land is acquired, the government should at least ascertain a fixed rate for all land owners.
The villagers even shared that they were forcibly stopped, and many were even arrested when they wanted to meet PM Modi at his recent gathering in Bhagalpur.
About the Adani deal
Though mainstream media is covering how Adani Power has signed a 25-year power supply agreement with the state, Trivedi’s report raises a question of whether Bihar is paying a big price for the alleged friendship between Adani and PM Modi.
The project, designed on a build, finance, own, and operate basis, will consist of three units of 800 MW each.
It was awarded following a competitive bidding process in which Adani Power emerged successful by offering the lowest supply rate at ₹6.075 per kilowatt hour. The company plans to invest nearly $3 billion in the plant and its associated infrastructure.