In a major setback to proposed mining project of M/s Adani Power Limited near Lohara, buffer zone of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC - Thermal and Mining) of Ministry of Environment and Forests has withdrawn the Terms of Reference (TOR) granted to Adani Power and endorsed the stance taken by Forest department which had strongly opposed mining activity near critical tiger habitat.
Instead, the committee suggested that Adani Power could meet its coal deficit by importing coal or securing coal from other blocks which could be allotted by Ministry of Coal or through Coal Linkage by the Coal Ministry. The EAC candidly admitted that at the time of grant of TOR, it was not aware of the project being within the proposed buffer zone of the TATR. Since a Tiger Corridor was part of proposed mining lease area, had rich forest, the EAC decided to withdraw TOR. In effect, the mining lease permission secured by Adani Power on the basis of TOR, has virtually rescinded. Infact, the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Coal should work in tandem in identifying permissible and non-permissible area for allotment of coal blocks so that such problems could be avoided in future, the EAC observed. M/s Adani Power Limited which is coming up with a thermal power plant 1320 MW near Tiroda in Gondia district was granted TOR by EAC on May 16, 2008, for 1200 hectare opencast mine near Lohara in Chandrapur district and 4 million tonne per annum coal was expected from the said block. While second permission was granted to M/s Maharashtra Coal Company Limited for mining at Lohara East Coal block which is at a distance of 10 kms from TATR. There was massive opposition to mining near TATR by green brigade and people of Chandrapur. Controversy at a glance After grant of TOR to Adani Power, the Ministry received several representations objecting to the proposed project as the area for mining is in an ecologically sensitive area adjoining the TATR A number of litigations have also been filed against the Ministry in various Courts objecting to the Project as it is located in ecologically sensitive area within 15 km of the TATR. Of the total ML area of 1750 ha of Lohara Coal Block of M/s Adani Power Ltd., 1573.56 ha comprises of forestland (89 %) and almost the entire Lohara East Coal Block of M/s Maharashtra Coal Company Ltd, consisting of an ML area of 865 ha is forest land. Lohara Coal Project of M/s Adani Power Ltd. is a proposed opencast coalmine with an annual rated capacity of 4 million tonnes of coal per annum for its linked 1000 MW TPP and Lohara East Coalmine project would consists of both opencast and underground coalmine of a total annual rated capacity of 0.76 MTPA of which the production from opencast operations would be 0.50 MTPA and from UG would be 0.26 MTPA. Life of the Lohara Coal mine is 40 years and of Lohara East Coalmine is 20 Years. Objections of Forest Deptt, NTCA Director, National Tiger Conservation Authority had undertaken a site visit and had recommended that no mining operations should be undertaken in the proposed buffer zone. The NTCA fully endorsed the views of the Forest department. The PCCF stated that a Tiger Reserve has a core zone and a buffer zone and corridors. No developmental activity is permitted within the core zone, and no mining operations are permitted in the buffer zone. Tiger Reserves also have Tiger trails, Corridors, which are areas adjoining the Tiger Reserves and with recorded tiger movements and hence such habitats also require protection. Activities like mining, whether opencast or underground, can not be permitted in the proposed buffer area of the Tadoba or in the corridor, PCCF stated. Why Adani’s conservation plan rejected The Forest department and NTCA requested the Committee not to look at the issue as a simple mathematics of distances and boundaries but to have an overview of the need for conserving the tiger habitat which involves not only the TATR but also the tiger corridor (which is a habit used by the tigers of TATR). PCCF claimed that a Conservation Plan received from M/s Adani Power Ltd. on Lohara Opencast Coal Project was flawed as the movement of tigers and their seasonality had not been reflected or adequately addressed in the Plan. The State Govt. had hence rejected their Conservation Plan and recommended rejection of the mining project of M/s Adani Power Ltd. and had informed the NTCA accordingly vide letter dated August 31, 2009. The company had likewise been informed. New proposal of Adani project M/s Adani Power Ltd. in its latest proposal dated November 18 informed that their mining lease has forests of a density in the range of 0.4-0.6. It was informed that part of this forest was under the FDCM. They submitted that the company is amenable to modifying the wildlife Conservation Plan as per the requirements of the State Government and there would be no fund constraints in implementation of the Plan. They volunteered to surrender an area of 176 ha which falls in the proposed buffer of TATR. It was further submitted that in the remaining area falling in the Tiger Corridor, the company proposed to divide the ML area into 40 blocks and would mine only one block in one year which would be reclaimed thereafter and thus, the entire mine lease would be mined over the life of the project (40 years) minimising its impact on the habitat. However, the NTCA and PCCF opposed the new proposal as well.
Instead, the committee suggested that Adani Power could meet its coal deficit by importing coal or securing coal from other blocks which could be allotted by Ministry of Coal or through Coal Linkage by the Coal Ministry. The EAC candidly admitted that at the time of grant of TOR, it was not aware of the project being within the proposed buffer zone of the TATR. Since a Tiger Corridor was part of proposed mining lease area, had rich forest, the EAC decided to withdraw TOR. In effect, the mining lease permission secured by Adani Power on the basis of TOR, has virtually rescinded. Infact, the Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Coal should work in tandem in identifying permissible and non-permissible area for allotment of coal blocks so that such problems could be avoided in future, the EAC observed. M/s Adani Power Limited which is coming up with a thermal power plant 1320 MW near Tiroda in Gondia district was granted TOR by EAC on May 16, 2008, for 1200 hectare opencast mine near Lohara in Chandrapur district and 4 million tonne per annum coal was expected from the said block. While second permission was granted to M/s Maharashtra Coal Company Limited for mining at Lohara East Coal block which is at a distance of 10 kms from TATR. There was massive opposition to mining near TATR by green brigade and people of Chandrapur. Controversy at a glance After grant of TOR to Adani Power, the Ministry received several representations objecting to the proposed project as the area for mining is in an ecologically sensitive area adjoining the TATR A number of litigations have also been filed against the Ministry in various Courts objecting to the Project as it is located in ecologically sensitive area within 15 km of the TATR. Of the total ML area of 1750 ha of Lohara Coal Block of M/s Adani Power Ltd., 1573.56 ha comprises of forestland (89 %) and almost the entire Lohara East Coal Block of M/s Maharashtra Coal Company Ltd, consisting of an ML area of 865 ha is forest land. Lohara Coal Project of M/s Adani Power Ltd. is a proposed opencast coalmine with an annual rated capacity of 4 million tonnes of coal per annum for its linked 1000 MW TPP and Lohara East Coalmine project would consists of both opencast and underground coalmine of a total annual rated capacity of 0.76 MTPA of which the production from opencast operations would be 0.50 MTPA and from UG would be 0.26 MTPA. Life of the Lohara Coal mine is 40 years and of Lohara East Coalmine is 20 Years. Objections of Forest Deptt, NTCA Director, National Tiger Conservation Authority had undertaken a site visit and had recommended that no mining operations should be undertaken in the proposed buffer zone. The NTCA fully endorsed the views of the Forest department. The PCCF stated that a Tiger Reserve has a core zone and a buffer zone and corridors. No developmental activity is permitted within the core zone, and no mining operations are permitted in the buffer zone. Tiger Reserves also have Tiger trails, Corridors, which are areas adjoining the Tiger Reserves and with recorded tiger movements and hence such habitats also require protection. Activities like mining, whether opencast or underground, can not be permitted in the proposed buffer area of the Tadoba or in the corridor, PCCF stated. Why Adani’s conservation plan rejected The Forest department and NTCA requested the Committee not to look at the issue as a simple mathematics of distances and boundaries but to have an overview of the need for conserving the tiger habitat which involves not only the TATR but also the tiger corridor (which is a habit used by the tigers of TATR). PCCF claimed that a Conservation Plan received from M/s Adani Power Ltd. on Lohara Opencast Coal Project was flawed as the movement of tigers and their seasonality had not been reflected or adequately addressed in the Plan. The State Govt. had hence rejected their Conservation Plan and recommended rejection of the mining project of M/s Adani Power Ltd. and had informed the NTCA accordingly vide letter dated August 31, 2009. The company had likewise been informed. New proposal of Adani project M/s Adani Power Ltd. in its latest proposal dated November 18 informed that their mining lease has forests of a density in the range of 0.4-0.6. It was informed that part of this forest was under the FDCM. They submitted that the company is amenable to modifying the wildlife Conservation Plan as per the requirements of the State Government and there would be no fund constraints in implementation of the Plan. They volunteered to surrender an area of 176 ha which falls in the proposed buffer of TATR. It was further submitted that in the remaining area falling in the Tiger Corridor, the company proposed to divide the ML area into 40 blocks and would mine only one block in one year which would be reclaimed thereafter and thus, the entire mine lease would be mined over the life of the project (40 years) minimising its impact on the habitat. However, the NTCA and PCCF opposed the new proposal as well.
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