Forest nod for expansion of coal mines in Chhattisgarh, mining and drilling in NE
In Chhattisgarh, the Forest Advisory Committee recommended “in-principle” approval for the additional diversion of 94.293 hectares of forest for expansion of Gevra mine
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the environment ministry has accorded an “in-principle” approval for expansion and opening of a number of mines in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Meghalaya and exploratory drilling in Assam’s wildlife rich Doyang reserved forest in its latest meeting.
Three of the mines are in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district, minutes of FAC’s meeting held on January 17 show. In 2019, Lilagar river, a tributary of Hasdeo river changed course following extreme rain, broke embankments and flooded mines in this region. Korba is also one of the critically polluted areas as per Central Pollution Control Board.
In Chhattisgarh, FAC recommended “in-principle” approval for the additional diversion of 94.293 hectares of forest for expansion of Gevra mine.
South Eastern Coalfield Limited (SECL) proposes to enhance production of Gevra from 52.5 MTPA to 70 MTPA. In 2009, the Centre gave a nod for its expansion from 25 MTPA to 35 MTPA. Subsequently, another approval for production level of 52.5 MTPA was granted by MoEFCC. Currently 951.481 MT of mineable reserve is available in Gevra. Given the production level of 70 MTPA, the life of the mine is another 14 years, SECL has said.
FAC has also granted “in-principle” approval to expansion of Kusmunda mine for diversion of an additional 43.942 ha of forest land. Forest land in total lease area is 249.903 ha, and non-forest land, 2742.04 ha.
The proposal is expected to generate 4130 permanent and 500 temporary jobs.
SECL was accorded post-facto in-principle forest clearance in 2018 (mining was started before an official nod was granted) for diversion of 402.966 ha revenue forest land which included Kusmunda and neighbouring Laxman mine. Production from Laxman mine stopped in 2013 and it was subsequently merged with Gevra mine. Kusmunda has recieved permission for enhancing production from 40 MTPA to 50 MTPA (Normative)/ 62.50 MTPA (Peak) for a mine leasehold area of 1655.825 in 2020. But so far it has realized the peak production level of 43.051 MTPA and hence it has proposed to enhance mine area further.
Kusmunda opencast mine flows adjacent to a Hasdeo tributary which makes it a particularly vulnerable area.
FAC has recommended that Chhattisgarh government ensure treatment of the catchment area and directed SECL to follow the rules imposed by the Water resource department for conservation of the Hasdeo river.
FAC has also accorded “in-principle” approval to SECL’s Dipka Opencast coal mine for diversion of additional 0.093 ha of forest land in Korba’s Katghora forest. Dipka mine had to be temporarily closed down after Lilagar flooded in 2019.
“These are very high yielding mines. The decision to grant FAC will help India enhance production,” said a senior official of Coal India Limited.
“We had sought public hearing for these enhancement proposals which was not heard. Korba is a highly polluted area. The forests and water bodies are under immense stress. Large amounts of coal is transported from here leading to higher number of road accidents. There are train cancellations also because of transport of coal. This is impacting lives of locals. These expansion nods are in line with the government’s focus on increase in domestic coal and fossil fuel production,” said Alok Shukla of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan.
FAC has granted a nod for exploratory drilling to Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd for diversion of 1.781 ha of forest land in Doyang Reserved forest. As per the nodal officer for Assam, the area has rich wildlife including elephants and one horned Rhinoceros and reports a high number of cases of human-wildlife conflict . In Meghalaya, FAC has approved diversion of 11.09 ha of deemed forest for Opencast Limestone mine in East Jaintia Hills. The site is near the eco-sensitive zone of the Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary-- habitat of the Hoolock gibbon.
Other forest approvals relate to iron and manganese mines in Odisha’s Sundergarh and Keonjhar districts.
