Adani's Anuppur Coal Plant Dilemma: Tigers or Thermal Power?

Read in Hindi | The roar of tigers that resonates in the dense forests of central India may now be drowned in the industrial noise of a coal-fired power plant. The Anuppur Thermal Power Plant is to be set up between Chhatai, Majhtoliya, and Umada villages in the Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh.

This massive 3.2 GW (4x800 MW) thermal power project poses a major threat to India’s leading tiger conservation program.

Estimated to cost Rs 36,600 crore, it is set to cut through one of the most important tiger corridors in central India. Environmentalists and wildlife experts believe that the project could pose an unprecedented threat to India's Tiger Corridor Project.

Project evolution 

The project began with Welspun Energy in 2012, when the company received environmental clearance for a 1.32 gigawatt (2 × 660 MW) supercritical coal-fired power plant. At that time, the scope of the project was relatively limited—only 360 hectares of land were required (218.53 hectares of agricultural land and the rest government land).

The initial plan projected coal consumption at 6.5 million tons per year and water demand at 18 cubic metres per second, to be sourced from the Kewai River. However, Welspun did not begin construction, and the clearance expired in November 2023. Adani Power Limited subsequently took over the project, acquiring full control by October 2024. It is now operated as Anuppur Thermal Energy (MP) Private Limited, a subsidiary of the Adani Group.

The new leadership significantly expanded the project's scope. From 1.32 GW, it became a 3.2 GW (4 × 800 MW) ultra-supercritical plant. The land requirement rose to 371 hectares as a result of this expansion, which included 59 hectares of government land and 312 hectares of private land.

Most worryingly, the demand for resources has also increased drastically. Coal consumption has increased to 13.3 million tons per annum, while water demand has doubled to 36 cubic metres per second. Now there is a plan to supply water from Kewai as well as the Son River.

Tiger corridors in danger

According to a 2018 report by the Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT), the area proposed for the project lies within a wildlife corridor with "moderate to high connectivity," linking habitats that support 31 percent of India’s tiger population. These corridors are crucial not only for tigers but also for bears and over 200 bird species.

Tiger corridors are typically narrow stretches of forest, 1 to 5 km wide, that connect larger protected areas. They enable tigers to move between habitats, which is essential for maintaining genetic diversity and long-term species survival.

The 2014 report Connecting Tiger Populations for Long-Term Conservation by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) identifies Central India as having the highest tiger genetic diversity in the world. This landscape forms a critical link between several key tiger reserves, including Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench, Sanjay Dubri, and Achanakmar.

Environmental expert Soumya Dutta highlights the issue:

“The Kanha–Achanakmar corridor is vital for tiger conservation in India. Without it, genetic diversity will decline, putting up to 20% of the global tiger population at risk.”

Wildlife expert Dr. Raghavendra Sharma adds,

“If this corridor is disrupted, tigers could lose breeding diversity, and their population may drop by 50% within two to three decades.”

Rising Noise and Traffic

The original Welspun project had noise levels of 50-60 decibels and traffic of 100 vehicles per day. Now, after Adani's expansion, the noise could rise to 70-85 decibels, and traffic could reach 500 vehicles per day. The traffic noise will severely disrupt the tigers' sensitive hearing and movement.

Soumya Dutta adds, "Tigers need quiet forests at night. So much noise and pollution will push them towards villages, increasing human-animal conflict." These concerns are not unfounded—12 incidents of tigers entering villages have been reported in Anuppur and Shahdol in 2023-24.

The thermal power project is expected to put significant pressure on local water resources, especially the Kewai and Son rivers. According to the project plan, the plant will need 36 cubic meters of water per second, mainly drawn from the Kewai River with backup from the Son River when needed. The Kewai River, a tributary of the Son, flows just 40 meters from the plant site.

The Son River is one of Central India’s most important water sources, supporting local communities, farming, wildlife, and aquatic life. The project is expected to generate 4.2 million tons of ash each year, which could pollute both rivers with toxic heavy metals and other harmful substances.

Water expert Shripad Dharmadhikari says the company’s assurances are not enough.

“Ash and waste from coal plants are dangerous for rivers. The Kewai and Son are already stressed by coal mining in the area. Large-scale water use and possible leaks could seriously harm fish, aquatic biodiversity, and local livelihoods.”

The company has made claims of a zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system and a 100-metre-wide green belt, but Dharmadhikari casts doubt on these claims, saying, "ZLD and green belt claims are often only on paper. Fly ash dumping will lead to leakage into rivers."

Additional collector Dilip Kumar Pandey, MP pollution board regional officer Mukesh Srivastava, and additional superintendent of police Israr Mansuri were present at the public hearing held on May 15 at Chhatai Road, Majhauli village. Villagers and local activists from the three affected villages put forth their 14-point demands.

The administration has called the hearing a success, but experts believe there was a lack of transparency and an attempt was made to hide the impact on tiger corridors.

Way forward

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has asked the company to prepare a comprehensive environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for a 10-km radius. Conservationists demand that the project be brought under the purview of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) clearance.

Experts allege that the company has cited an old 2014 NTCA report while hiding the latest studies of 2018 to obtain environmental clearance, even though Anuppur is a very important part of the Kanha-Achanakmar tiger corridor.

The case of Anuppur Thermal Power Plant poses an important question before India. On one hand, there is a need for energy security and industrial development; on the other, the future of the globally acclaimed tiger conservation program is at stake.

India's tiger conservation model has become a global example. The success of Project Tiger has shown the world that endangered species can be saved with dedicated efforts. But now, the question is, are we prepared to sacrifice this achievement for the sake of industrial development?

The decisions made over the next few months will determine whether India's tiger conservation program will continue to move forward or succumb to industrial pressure. This is a defining moment not just for tigers but for all biodiversity and for generations to come.

Support us to keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.

Keep Reading

In Pictures: Kheoni Wildlife Sanctuary grows its borders to shelter Tigers & welcome tourists

Mystery Shrouds Death of 10 Elephants in Bandhavgarh: Timeline

Burning question: who’s accountable for Rajgarh’s forest fires?

Madhya Pradesh sees 66 forest fires daily; AI tracks, action still lags

Follow Ground Report on X, Instagram and Facebook for environmental and underreported stories from the margins. Give us feedback on our email id [email protected]. 

Don't forget to Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, Join our community on WhatsApp, and Follow our YouTube Channel