FAC to decide if coal mines can start mining before taking forest clearance

Two other policy issues discussed at the committee meeting are: if a zoo can be considered a "forestry activity" and the definition of "permanent structures" under eco-tourism facilities that attract the provisions of the Forest Protection Act Will do.


New Delhi (Natural Energy News): The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Ministry of Environment is dealing with three controversial policy issues that may have far-reaching effects on forest management. One of them is whether coal mines linked to forest and non-forest land can be started mining later before getting forest clearance.





Two other policy issues were discussed at the September 21 meeting: if a zoo could be considered a "forestry activity" and the definition of "permanent structures" under environmental tourism facilities that would attract the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act.


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The FAC has not yet decided on these policy issues. "The FAC analyzed policy problems and concluded that the Forest Conservation Division of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) may have some farther considerations on the problems of the respective departments of the Ministry, after which the FAC may be considered as appropriate May be kept. Recommendation for analysis and decision, "Minutes of the Meeting State.


The process of auctioning 38 coal blocks is underway, with many of the mines covering large tracts of forest areas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi began auctioning 41 mines for commercial mining on 18 June. He said the market for coal is now open and the auction will turn the Covid-19 crisis into an opportunity.


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But a list of 41 mines suggested that many of them are located in biodiversity-rich forest areas in central India, some of which have dense forests with Hasdev Arand spread over 170,000 hectares. Following opposition from the Chhattisgarh government, the mines ministry agreed in August that it would put five mines in the Hasdev Arand area out of the auction.


Details of the mines for auction on the MSTC website reveal that many people do not require forest clearance and are in the middle of protected forests. The biodiversity-rich forest lands in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have several coal blocks which are still up for auction. For example, the Chakla block has 55% forest cover and works as drainage for major rivers like Damodar and Bakri. Choritand Tilaiya in Jharkhand also has forests in 50% of the area; Sergadha block is 40% forest. The Gottoria East Coal Block in Madhya Pradesh is 80% forested and serves as drainage for the Sitareva River.


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