Digging Into Adani: The dubious dealings of India’s corporate colossus
From ABC News: This eagerly awaited TV-documentary is the result of a months-long investigation into the Adani Group, made in the context of a bitter clash between citizen-groups and the Australian government over the company’s giant coal mine in Queensland. It offers a revealing look into the company’s controversial business practices and their global consequences.
“Why would the crime branch want to see us?” Stephen Long, reporter
When Four Corners travelled to India to investigate the activities of the giant Adani group, they soon discovered the power of the company.
While attempting to film and gather information about Adani’s operations, the Four Corners team had their cameras shut down, their footage deleted and were questioned for hours by police.
The team were left in no doubt that their investigations into the Indian company triggered the police action.
For months, Four Corners has been digging into the business practices of the Adani Group. This is the corporate colossus that plans to build Australia’s biggest mine site.
“I do know about Adani and that means thousands of jobs for regional Queenslanders …” Annastacia Palaszczuk, Qld Premier
The polarising debate around the proposed mine site in Queensland’s Galilee Basin is often pitted as a simplistic jobs versus greenies argument.
VIEW: ‘Go home’: Thousands protest across Australia against Adani’s coal mine project
But there are influential figures in India who warn that Australians need to know much more about the Adani Group.
“You know, the Australian politicians are obviously not properly briefed by their offices.” Former senior energy official
On Monday Four Corners examines the troubled corporate history of the Adani group in India revealing the findings of government investigations into financial and environment crimes.
“The report found not accidental violations, the report found deliberate violations, wilful violations.” Former Government Minister
The program analyses the Adani Group’s opaque financial operations and investigates the ramifications for their Australian operations.
“What this tells you is that here is a business group that will not stop at anything to maximise its profits.”Economist
This investigation examines whether, in the rush to secure jobs and shore up the mining industry, Australian politicians have failed to properly scrutinise the company that’s now hoping to receive a taxpayer funded loan of up to $1 billion for its project.
“I think the Australian Government ought to do environmental due diligence, which it seems not to have done. It certainly has to do financial due diligence. Both due diligences are required, both for the financial side and from the environmental side.” Indian politician
Adani group’s response to the film
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Exposing Adani’s environmental and labour abuses
Vaishali Patil , The Saturday Paper
I’ve come face to face with some of the world’s worst companies, but at the top of that list is mining giant Adani, which wants to develop one of the world’s largest coalmines in Australia, supposedly to meet demand from India. But the communities I work with patently do not want Adani or its coal.
Adani’s Australia mine is the line in the sand for the planet’s climate future
Bill McKibben, The Guardian
There’s nowhere else on the planet right now where the dichotomy between two potential futures–one where we address the climate change crisis, one where we ignore this momentous threat and continue with business as usual–is playing out in such an explosive way as Australia, with Gautam Adani’s Carmichael mine at its centre.
Pollutants From Adani Coal Mine Will Eventually Kill About 0.5 Million Indians
Dr Gideon Polya, Countercurrents.org
Under a climate criminal Coalition Government Australia is lurching towards an environmental and human catastrophe represented by the huge, Government-approved Adani Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin of Queensland. Pollutants from burning Australian coal exported from the proposed Adani coal mine are estimated to kill 13,000 people annually and 500,000 people over the lifetime of the coal mine. Most of the coal will go to India and thus most of the victims will be Indians. (Related: Abbot Point coal port spill causes ‘massive contamination’ of Queensland wetland)
Adani Power Vs The People Of Jharkhand
Amit Bhardwaj, NewsLaundry
The Jharkhand Government wants thousands of farmers to give up their multi-crop fertile lands for the Adani power plant. The plant will sell its entire electricity produce to Bangladesh. “They’ve used 1932 land records to show that a majority of the land here is not being used for agriculture,” said Vidya Devi.
Adani’s Vizhinjam port: Another development disaster in the making?
Ecologise Special Feature
The National Green Tribunal has virtually given the go-ahead for the proposed mega port at Vizhinjam, to be built and run by the Adani group, setting aside appeals by local fisher folk and environmentalists. Here’s a closer look at what’s at stake at Vizhinjam, and why many consider it another developmental disaster in the making.