Raipur, Nov. 6 -- The Chhattisgarh Scheduled Tribe Commission has found that the process of obtaining forest clearance (FC) for the Parsa coal block in Surguja district was tainted with multiple irregularities and fabricated entries in the case of three villages, the latest controversy to hit the high-profile project.

Forty-one residents of three villages - Salhi, Hariharpur, and Fatehpur - that fall under the Parsa coal block filed a complaint with the ST commission on August 8, 2021, alleging their consent for mining was fabricated. They alleged that the gram sabhas never discussed the clause pertinent to mining.

The commission investigated the claim over three years, and on Tuesday recommended to the district collector of Surguja, Vila...