Alok Shukla, India's Lung Savior

We will continue to fight so that there is no more mining and not even a single tree is cut down in the Hasdeo forest.

GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE

Alok Shukla, one of the recipients of the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2024. Shukla's efforts in accompanying residents in the Hasdeo Aranya forest area, Chhattisgarh, India, successfully saved 180,000 hectares of forest land from damage caused by coal mining.

For dozens of years, Alok Shukla (45) has led a local community movement to prevent mining projects in the Hasdeo Aranya forest area, India. This movement succeeded in saving 180,000 hectares of forest from damage caused by coal mining.

Thanks to his hard work and commitment to saving the Hasdeo forest, which is larger than the area of London, Shukla received the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize announced on April 29, 2024. The global award, informally known as the "Green Nobel", is given to grassroots individuals who have made significant contributions to environmental conservation. In 2023, grassroots activist from Indonesia, Delima Silalahi, received a similar award.

“This award is not only for me personally, but also for every citizen who has participated in the struggle of indigenous peoples and the movement to save the prosperous Hasdeo forest over the last 12 years. "This award will strengthen Hasdeo's grassroots struggle and international support," said Shukla as quoted from The Times of India, Thursday (2/5/2024).

Shukla grew up in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. The area is home to vast forests that hold India's largest coal reserves, around 5.6 tons. For a long time, almost 70 percent of India's electricity came from coal and 21 percent of the supply came from Chhattisgarh. It is not surprising that many mining companies are trying to enter the forest and extract the coal buried beneath it.

Shukla has witnessed how environmental and social damage occurs due to coal mining in the Hasdeo forest. He realizes that if the coal mining project is not stopped, disaster will soon come. Hasdeo is India's lungs, after all. The forest is one of the widest and densest forest systems in India.

The biodiversity within it is also very rich. Hasdeo is home to 25 endangered species, including leopards, sun bears, and striped hyenas. In addition, there are 92 bird species, including the white-eyed buzzard-eagle, as well as 167 rare medicinal plant species. Hasdeo also provides a corridor for critically endangered tigers to sanctuary and serves as a habitat for 50 endangered Asian elephants.

Furthermore, Hasdeo is a water catchment area for the Hasdeo River, which then flows into the Mahanadi River and several other rivers. These rivers irrigate 300,000 hectares of agricultural land. There are approximately 15,000 Adivasi people, the indigenous residents of Hasdeo, whose livelihoods depend on the forest.

GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE

Residents gathered at Hasdeo. Grassroots movements there have succeeded in preventing forest damage due to coal mining activities.

In 2010, the Indian Ministry of Environment had actually declared the Hasdeo forest as a free zone for mining activities. However, the statement was never formalized into government regulations. At the same time, the government continued to try to increase mining activities there. For example, between 2011 and 2015, the government granted permits to Indian conglomerates to operate five mines in Hasdeo.

Grassroots resistance

At the end of 2011, Shukla came to Hasdeo to study the government's plan to auction off several land blocks there. It turned out that the local residents only received a small amount of information about the project. They also did not know how to fight for their rights.

"No one wants to give up their land, but they are forced to accept the situation that they cannot do anything," said Shukla to AFP.

Since his visit, Shukla decided to accompany the local residents. He explained that the constitution provides protection for local indigenous communities. This can be used to resist mining projects in Hasdeo. He taught them strategies and tactics to confront these companies.

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Shukla then became involved in the Chhattisgarh rescue movement led by its members without payment. Together with several others, he established the Hasdeo Aranya Rescue Resistance Committee, a grassroots movement that unites indigenous communities living in the Hasdeo forest area.

In 2020, the government announced another auction of coal mining land. This time, the local community fiercely opposed the plan. The central government responded to the resistance by enacting an emergency provision on December 20 to facilitate the auction of 21 mining blocks. The provision states that if a project is deemed to be in the national interest, certain other rules can be bypassed, including approval from the local community or requirements for public consultation.

GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE

Alok Shukla is one of the recipients of the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize. Shukla's struggle to accompany grassroots communities in opposing coal mining projects within the Hasdeo Aranya forest area, which is rich and serves as a source of life for indigenous communities around the forest.

Shukla didn't stay quiet. He organized the village residents in a protest against the auction. He led the villagers in lobbying the legislative council to declare the 380,000 hectares of Hasdeo forest as a refuge for Lemru elephants. They asked the council to protect the elephant corridor and border areas from coal mining activities.

Continuous protests ultimately forced the government to withdraw three mining projects from public auction in September 2020. In October 2021, after 500 villagers marched 267 kilometers on foot to the capital Raipur, the government once again cancelled 14 mining projects.

Shukla also gathered broad support from social media and digital platforms by using the hashtag #SaveHasdeo. This campaign has inspired actions across the country, including bicycle demonstrations. Even some couples use the hashtag on their wedding invitations.

Shukla continues to exert pressure that causes pro-mining project parties to push back. Some have threatened to resort to violence or take legal action. There are also those who attempt to bribe Shukla and his associates.

We will continue to fight to ensure that no more mines are opened and not a single tree is allowed to be cut down here (Hasdeo Forest) now.

Such a threat does not shake the attitude of Shukla and his colleagues. In the spring of 2022, they organized the villagers to oppose the felling of 300 trees for a mining project. Shukla met with local government officials and senior state leaders, held press conferences in New Delhi, gave radio and television interviews, wrote letters and petitions, organized protests, and convened village meetings that impacted the Adivasi community.

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In response to those actions, the state parliament finally adopted a resolution against mining throughout the Hasdeo Aranya region in July 2022. The resolution also demands the cancellation of all land allocations for existing mining activities.

The Goldman Prize website assesses Shukla's expertise in organizing local communities and creating sustainable strategies that forced the government to cancel proposed 21 coal mining blocks in forest areas. This grassroots movement has also successfully generated national solidarity to preserve the Hasdeo Aranya forest from the damage caused by a number of corporations.

Alok Shukla

Activities: Founder of Hasdeo Aranya Rescue Resistance Committee

Awards include: 2024Goldman Environmental Prize