35% of India's coal mining areas are in ‘no go’ zones

Cabinet colleagues of Jairam Ramesh might accuse him of blocking development projects, but the environment minister is not ready to budge.

For, a joint study by the environment and coal ministries has found that as much as 35% of coal mining areas across the country are
located in ‘no go’ zones, where environmental clearances cannot be given. A ‘no go’ zone is a densely forested area where mining cannot be allowed.

“35% of coal mining areas should not get clearances. There are nine major blocks of coal mines in these areas surrounded by dense forests. In the past 30 years, 300 mining projects have been cleared, only 24 rejected,” the minister said. A major portion of coal mining areas in ‘no go’ zones is in Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Orissa and Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh. 

As if to endorse Ramesh, the prime minister’s office denied on Friday reports that a group of ministers (GoM) had been set up to speed up the clearance of development projects.

“There is no truth in reports that a GoM has been formed. PM has categorically said there is a need to find a balance between development projects and ecology,” said Ramesh. According to the minister, PM has asked him to ensure that there is no violation of the Environment Protection Act, Wildlife Protection Act and Forest Rights Act while allowing new projects.

“PM wants the ministries of environment and coal to jointly decide whether coal blocks should be allocated in certain areas. “If the environment ministry was involved, we would not have allowed the proposal for mining near the Tadoba tiger reserve. The idea should not have come in the first place,” the minister said.

“They [mine owners] should try to maximise the potential of mining areas instead of trying to access ‘no go’ zones,” Ramesh said.