Monday, November 10, 2008

Coal blocks may scuttle elephant corridor plan

Padmaparna Ghosh, Livemint.com
October 30, 2008

New Delhi: Newly discovered coal reserves in Chhattisgarh could make it difficult to create three elephant reserves meant to check rising human-animal conflicts.
Though the state government is yet to choose between mining and conservation, the Union government and an industry lobby want to exploit the reserves that could yield nearly 40 million tonnes (mt) of coal a year.

The ministry of environment and forests, or MoEF, has ordered environmental impact assessment of the coal blocks in Badalkhol, Lemru and Tamorpingla areas of Korba district that are located inside the proposed reserves.

These mandatory assessments gauge the environmental effects of industrial, mining and infrastructure projects before the ministry approves of them.
“Yes, after the (discovery of) coal blocks, there has been reconsideration about the boundaries of the reserves and how to adjust it to allow mining,” said Arun Pandey, a conservator of forests in Chhattisgarh. However, MoEF officials declined to comment on the issue.

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