Undermining Tadobas tigers: how Chandrapurs tiger habitat is being destroyed by coal mining

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Coal mining poses a serious threat to tigers in Chandrapur region, near the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve and must be reined in says this report by the Fact Finding Mission to the area organized by Greenpeace. Coal mining poses a serious threat to tigers in Maharashtras Chandrapur region, near the TadobaAndhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and must be reined in. This is the verdict of a Fact Finding Mission to the area organized by Greenpeace India, consisting of wildlife experts Praveen Bhargav and Biswajit Mohanty and environmental lawyer Rahul Choudhary. The team released its findings and recommendations in a report titled Undermining Tadobas Tigers. The missions key recommendations are that no new mines should be given forest clearance in the region and further expansion of operational mines in tiger habitat should be stopped. They have also warned that TATR risks being completely cut off from surrounding forests by mines and dams, and that the ecological impact will be irreversible and cannot be compensated by afforestation. A fundamental shift in policy towards a scientific landscape approach that is focused on minimizing fragmentation of large blocks of contiguous forests instead of the present emphasis on forest density and measuring area lost is therefore the way forward. MPs ask Manmohan Singh to prevent coal mining near tiger reserve politicians cutting across party lines have opposed coal mining near the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. Till recently they were pushing for fast-tracking clearance to the mining project proposed by the Adani Enterprises. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, members of the Parliament (MPs) from Vidarbha said the proposed Lohara coal mining project in Chandrapur district will devastate the tiger reserve and requested the Central government to give it a second thought. Political support to the project waned in July in the face of fierce public protests. Environmental activist Bandu Dhotre started a fast-unto-death on July 20. Dhotre's hunger strike gathered support from about 100 environmental organizations that staged protests, including mass head tonsuring and writing letters to the President of India in blood. On July 28, eight MPs from Vidarbha, including the Chandrapur MP Hansraj Ahir earlier supported Lohara mine, wrote to the prime

minister demanding that the project be cancelled. Dhotre called off his strike on August 2 after Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh assured no project would be cleared without considering its effect on wildlife and environment. Dhotre said he will continue his fight. "If the government clears the project, it will face stiff public opposition," he said (see 'Clearing forests for coal', Down To Earth, December 1-15, 2009). Sudhir Mungantiwar, legislative assembly member from Chandrapur city, said political opposition to the project grew after two facts were revealed: One, a similar coal mining project was turned down in 1997 because underground mining (to minimise damage to the environment) is not possible in Lohara. Two, Adani is the biggest coal importer in India; it supplies coal to the Maharashtra government at an exorbitant rate. "Why can't it use the imported coal for its own power plant instead of mining for it?" he asked.

Centre stops mining near Tadoba

0 Comments Author(s): Aparna Pallavi Issue: Nov 30, 2009 Leases to Adani group near tiger reserve to be cancelled

the union environment ministry has stepped in to prevent mining near the Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve. It has told the Maharashtra government that the mining leases allotted in the buffer zone of the reserve have to be cancelled. Coal India Limited had allotted coal blocks to three companies including Adani group in the buffer zone in 2007. None of them has been given environmental clearance for their projects. In a letter to state chief minister Ashok Chavan dated September 8. Union minister of state, Jairam Ramesh, categorically said no mining activities would be allowed near Tadoba. The letter asked the chief minister to review the dam project on river Human (pronounced Hooman) in Chandrapur district that would submerge forestland near Tadoba. Ramesh has also invited a proposal from the Maharashtra government for bringing Nagzira wildlife sanctuary in the Bhandara and Ghondia districts under Project Tiger.Maharashtras principal chief conservator of forests, Alok Joshi, said the Nagzira proposal has not moved forward in the last one decade because the Forest Development Corporation of the state did not agree to transfer the 100 sq km forestland it owns near Nagzira. After the Union ministers letter, meetings have been called to sort out the matter, Joshi said.
Tags: News, Coal India, Maharashtra, Mining, Tadoba NP, Tiger Reserves