Indian state allocated sacred groves to solar parks recorded as barren land
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
Rajasthan allocated 44,247 hectares for solar parks in 2023–2025, including orans, sacred groves that villagers say land records list as barren. About 100 villagers began a 700 km foot march in January 2026 to protect the groves.
- Adani Group — Held the 600 MW Nedan village allocation, which the High Court cancelled Mongabay India
- Adani Group — Holds long-term power purchase agreements with state-owned SECI and state distribution companies
- Solar park developers — Received state land, including 2,397 hectares for a 1 GW solar park at Bandha village Mongabay India
- Sacred groves (orans) — Listed as barren land in land records and allocated to solar parks, according to villagers Mongabay India
- Village communities who regard the groves as sacred — About 100 villagers began a 700 km march in January 2026 to save the groves Mongabay India
What happened
Between 2023 and 2025 Rajasthan allocated 44,247 hectares for solar parks totalling 23 GW (Mongabay India).
A single 1 GW solar park at Bandha village took 2,397 hectares; villagers say oran groves were listed as barren land in land records, which made them easy to hand to companies (Mongabay India).
In January 2026 about 100 villagers began a 700 km foot march to save the groves (Mongabay India).
The Rajasthan High Court cancelled the Adani Group's 600 MW allocation at Nedan village and returned 205 hectares of oran land at Baiya village (Mongabay India).
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- Overturned on appealNedan village 600 MW allocation to Adani GroupRajasthan High Court · Administrative · Not named in sources reviewed → Adani Group (Nedan village allocation)
The Rajasthan High Court cancelled the 600 MW allocation at Nedan village; 205 hectares of oran land at Baiya village were returned. Mongabay India
Insurers
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- None on record Gap: the sources reviewed do not give the total area of oran groves lost.
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: Adani is building 30 GW at the Khavda park in Gujarat.
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: Wood Mackenzie ranked Adani among the largest solar portfolio growers in 2024.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Press and investigations
- Villagers set on 700 km foot march to save sacred groves from Rajasthan solar parksMongabay India · 2026-03-19
Connected cases
- Adani Group became largest shareholder of NDTV India · 2022
- Adani Group (Company) — here: Holder of the Nedan village allocation (cancelled) and Baiya oran land (returned); there: largest shareholder
- Insurers of the Carmichael coal mine Australia · 2015–2025
- Adani Group (Company) — here: Holder of the Nedan village allocation (cancelled) and Baiya oran land (returned); there: Owner group of the mine
- MV Rak Carrier coal and oil spill (Mumbai) India · 2011–2016
- Adani Group (Company) — here: Holder of the Nedan village allocation (cancelled) and Baiya oran land (returned); there: Ordered to pay Rs 5 crore for coal left on the seabed
- Plant-for-the-Planet: 13.6 billion trees Germany / Global · 2011–2024
- Adani Group (Company) — here: Holder of the Nedan village allocation (cancelled) and Baiya oran land (returned); there: 1t.org pledger
- US indictment alleges Adani solar bribery; three charges later dismissed India · 2024–2026
- Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) (Government) — here: State company in long-term purchase agreements with Adani; there: State company in long-term purchase agreements with Adani