Parliament Question: Complaints regarding Karhi-Chandi Limestone Mines

OIH GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3522 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.08.2026 Complaints regarding Karhi-Chandi Limestone Mines 3522. SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL: Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that complaints regarding environmental irregularities, the Karhi reservoir and tribal land pertaining to the Karhi-Chandi Limestone Mines (Shree Cement), District Balodabazar, have been received by the Government during the last five years; (b) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto; (c) whether the Government had issued directions on 12.09.2025 to the Mineral Resources Department, State Government of Chhattisgarh, and the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board to investigate the said complaints, take necessary action and provide a report thereof to the Government and the complainant; (d) if so, the details of action taken reports received from the State Government so far in compliance with the said directions; (e) whether the final investigation or action has not been completed, if so, the reasons therefor; and (f) whether the Union Government is likely to fix a time limit for the time-bound resolution of this matter or ensure early action by the State Government and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) to (f): The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) received a Public Grievance bearing Registration No. MOEAF/E/2025/0003275 dated 02.09.2025 regarding alleged encroachment on Karhi reservoir and tribal land in respect of the Karhi- Chandi Limestone Mine of M/s Shree Cement Ltd., including allegations related to allotment of Khasra beyond the scope of the Letter of Intent. The grievance was forwarded by the Ministry to the Directorate of Geology and Mining (DGM), Government of Chhattisgarh and the Member Secretary, Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) on 12.09.2025 for examination and appropriate action, as per the provisions of the applicable laws. As per the information received from the CECB and DGM, the Environmental Clearance (EC) was initially granted for a mining lease area of 242.127 ha on 15.05.2020 and subsequentlyamended on 29.10.2021, reducing the lease area to 225.719 ha by excluding 16.408 ha pertaining to the Karhi reservoir and rectifying the ambiguity relating to the land schedule in the Letter of Intent (LoI). Also, no instance has been reported of Government land pertaining to the Karhi Reservoir being claimed as private land. It has also been reported that there has been no encroachment upon the reservoir area, nor has the project proponent commenced any mining operations in the said area. It has been further informed that a number of joint inspections have been done by the officials of DGM and CECB on the similar complaints before the directions of MoEF&CC dated 12.09.2025 and the complaints were not found genuine. Further, a joint inspection was also carried out in the presence of the complainant on 06.03.2026, during which ambient air quality, noise levels and groundwater samples from nearby villages were collected and analysed, and all monitored environmental parameters were found to be within the prescribed standards. *****