Swapan Dasgupta, Member of Parliament (President minee), has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to halt inauguration of Birbhum coal block due to several reasons. In his letter to PM, he mentioned that plan was at a very early st and inaugurating without any prior study would bear numerous consequences. This comes just a  day after West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee met PM Modi and invited him to inaugurate second-largest coal project of world which is to be planted in Birbhum district of West Bengal. 

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MP Dasgupta Spots Errors of Concern

Dasgupta, in his letter, stated that study of likely social and environmental conditions has been done yet and that process of securing environmental clearance has t even begun. He mentioned that area of Birbhum where coal blocks are located is widely populated by ivasis who have been living re for long and have registered ir concerns of coal mining in area. He also brought to PM Modi's tice, fact that state government h mitted to t have begun rehabilitation policy for displaced people, in this case, ivasis. MP Dasgupta, who is also a journalist, stated that district of Birbhum has been facing political violence which may be triggered by land sharks and re are some serious charges of police high-handedness. 

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't Rey To Be Inaugurated'

Dasgupta said that presence of PM at mega coal project inauguration after Durga Puja might indicate that all se issues have dressed. This would also suggest that mining could be operational in a very short time which in turn would affect process of environment clearance and rehabilitation pack. He also speculated that re were concerns that land sharks with certain political backing have intentions of grabbing ivasis' land. Concluding his letter to PM, Dasgupta suggested that process of due diligence of mega coal project in Birbhum must be completed before PM formally inaugurates it.

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