If Project Tiger has its way, there will be no more coal mining in Chhindwara — on a forest corridor nestling Pench and Satpura tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh — in what is likely to be the first standoff between coal mining and tiger reserves. A Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) special committee, instituted for the express purpose of examining mining proposals both in and around tiger reserves, has turned down all mining proposals for the area.
The report prepared by the committee has also suggested that existing coal mines in the area be shut down. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh introduced the controversial concept of ‘go’ and ‘no-go’ areas, including tiger reserves as the ‘no-go’ areas. Recently, Ramesh said he may expand the amount of ‘go areas’, working with the Coal Ministry. But with a slew of mining project proposals and lease extension proposals around tiger reserves, the MoEF settting up the committee is seen as a bid to introduce specialists in the controversy.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/moef-panel-against-mining-in-mp-area/645652/1
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