Annual diversion of green patch near "Amazon of Assam" for the coal mining project, PM Modi told

The social and community-based organizations wrote to P. M. Narendra Modi on Saturday requesting them to cancel the proposed diversion of the green patch near the "Amazon of Assam" for the coal mining project.

On April 7, the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife of the Ministry of Environment discussed the proposal to transfer 98.59 hectares from the Salki proposed reserve forest for the coal mining project by a unit of Coal India Limited i.e. North India Easter Coal Field.

Salki Dehing is a part of the Patkai Elephant Reserve covering 111.19 sq km. Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary and several reserved forests in Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of eastern Assam. The wildlife sanctuary is a sub-tropical rainforest that is often compared to the Amazon.

In their appeal, the organizations said " The coal mining in an ecologically sensitive protected area in Assam which will threaten the rights of indigenous communities who work closely with nature."

These include SA, JKSS, AAGC, AANYSU, Tai-Ahom Yuva Parishad and All Kalita Students Union.

He said the pursuit of energy from destructive fossil fuels encouraged scandals and crime syndicates when the world was switching to cleaner, unconventional energy.

JOINT Guardian said that they know that the mining project in Salki is exempted from any form of public scrutiny by the National Board of Wildlife, despite its dense forests and proximity to wildlife sanctuaries known for its diversity of plants and animals in that area.

Pointing out that the proposed mine was approved without any proper environmental impact study, the organizations said local communities were kept in the dark.

“It is a well-known fact that various state and non-state actors were found to be illegally mining in these forests. CIL was fined for 73 hectares of mining inside the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve between 2003 and 2019.

There should have been a complete ban on any mining or industrial activity in the area around Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary after the CIL was fined, but we are surprised that the company is being allowed to mine ... indigenous communities in these forests are left dependent on while mining companies are let in.

This, he said, was an example of "great neglect and disrespect" towards communities living close to protected areas, which the BJP government promised to preserve when they came to power.

He also referred to 'injustice' to communities dependent on Amchung Wildlife Sanctuary near Guwahati, who are facing addiction.

He also sought to investigate all cases of illegal coal and oil and gas drilling in all protected areas including Dehing Patkai and appointed a Supreme Investigation Agency and prosecute the accused.