Nagpur: In a setback to tigers, the coal mining division of ministry of environment, forest, and climate change MoEFCC grants eco clearance (EC) to WCL’s Durgapur Extension Deep Opencast mine, which is just 12.25km from Tadoba in Chandrapur.
The Phase-II EC has been granted for an area of 1622.50 hectares to extract 3 MTPA coal. In 2012, Phase-I EC was granted for an area of 1354.64 hectares for extraction of 2.3 MTPA.
An additional forest area of 121.58 hectare has been added to the proposal. Earlier, forest area required for mining was 257.77 hectares. Now, it has increased to 379.35 hectares, which is equivalent to virtually 380 rugby fields.
The break-up of 379.35 hectare area includes 40.46ha, 136.54ha, 80.77ha, which has been granted forest MoEFCC grants eco clearance The remaining 121.58ha is awaiting final forest clearance.
A senior WCL official from Chandrapur said that even as area has been increased, mining capacity will remain the same. “On November 10, we have received the final EC. When the proposal will go before the forest advisory committee (FAC), it will ask for EC and we have that now,” he said.
However, former National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) member Kishor Rithe said that the extended Durgapur mine is located next to Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and will spell doom for not only tigers but also people, who are facing critical health hazards from pollution.
“Interestingly, the terms of reference (Tor) for the mines is almost a decade old,” he added.
“The site is close to TATR where human-wildlife conflict is already high. Tadoba tigers are already crying for space, and new open cast mines in this region will have devastating effect,” Rithe said.
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The MoEFCC grants eco clearance has been granted despite forest officials’ site inspection reports mentioning that reserve forest compartment numbers 400, 401, 402 and survey no. 262/1 of zudpi jungle, that are proposed to be diverted, has presence of tigers and leopards besides rich fauna.
