Foundation Stone Laid for Adani Power Project on Evicted Muslim Land in Assam
Assam Chief Minister Mr. Himanta Biswa Sarma has officially laid the foundation stone for a 3,200 MW ultra-supercritical thermal power project developed by Adani Power Limited in Chapar, situated in the state’s Dhubri district. According to investigative reports by Indian media outlets, the project site encompasses nearly 1,157 acres across villages like Charuabakhra, Chirakuta 1 and 2, and Santoshpur under the Chapar Revenue Circle. This land was cleared in July 2025 during an eviction drive that demolished the homes of roughly 1,400 Bengali-origin Muslim households, leaving over 10,000 residents homeless despite many having inhabited the region for three to four decades.
The project site was originally transferred to the state-run Assam Power Distribution Company Limited before being handed over to Adani Power for execution. Describing the venture as the largest power initiative in Assam’s history, Chief Minister Mr. Sarma emphasized that it holds the capacity to satisfy the state’s growing energy requirements. ‘The peak electricity demand in Assam reached 3,240 MW this year. While power demand across India is growing at an annual rate of 6%, in Assam it is rising by 9% annually,’ Mr. Sarma remarked. Meanwhile, representatives of the Adani Group stated that the project will create nearly 20,000 construction jobs and 5,000 operational positions.
The project’s launch has faced intense scrutiny regarding financial concessions and corporate favoritism towards the Adani Group. An investigative analysis published by The Reporters’ Collective in March 2026 revealed that the BJP-led state government agreed to terms guaranteeing payment for unused or surplus power produced by the plant. According to official government record assessments, this agreement could burden the state exchequer with an additional expenditure exceeding ₹12,500 crore over five years. This arrangement followed an earlier commitment by the conglomerate to invest ₹50,000 crore in Assam following a regional business summit.
Addressing the audience during the ceremony, Mr. Jeet Adani, Director of the Adani Group, highlighted the economic evolution taking place throughout the region. ‘In the last five years, I have visited Assam 40 times. But today, I am deeply honored to be among you on this beautiful land,’ he stated, asserting that the state’s core identity stems from its warm people and unyielding spirit. He added that the Northeast, previously celebrated primarily for its natural beauty and culture, is rapidly transforming into a primary driver of national economic growth and mega-infrastructure projects, with Assam positioning itself at the forefront of this regional shift.
Despite the corporate momentum, critical human rights and environmental questions linger over the displaced populations. In its submission to the Union Ministry of Environment, Adani Power claimed there were no active settlements or outstanding rehabilitation demands at the site. Although authorities cleared 3,500 bighas of public land and acquired 1,703 bighas from private patta holders, over half of these title owners have yet to receive their compensation. Meanwhile, displaced families rejected the government’s offer of a ₹50,000 shifting allowance and relocation to 300 bighas in Baijar Alga, citing that the designated riverine island is extremely vulnerable to severe flooding from the Brahmaputra River.
The land acquisition process involved reclassifying designated Village Grazing Land in April 2025, culminating in home demolitions and subsequent environmental clearance recommendations by July 2026. This drive forms part of broader administrative operations targeting Bengali-speaking Muslim communities across Assam since 2016, during which at least eight individuals have died in police firings. These practices continue to draw judicial reprimands; most recently, following a September 7 eviction drive in Goalpara district that displaced 73 families on 24 hours’ notice, the Gauhati High Court openly questioned the legality of the operation, observing that such actions fundamentally violate basic principles of natural justice.
