NGO raises pitch for ban on Lohara mining project

The Adani Mining Limited has again been caught in rough weather.

After resigning from the study group, Bandu Dhotre, president of Eco-Pro, a Chandrapur-based non governmental organisation (NGO) has started a fast-unto-death in front of the district collector’s office in Chandrapur, protesting against the proposed coal mine at Lohara on the outskirts of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).

Eco-Pro had demanded for the lease sanctioned to the mining project should be cancelled immediately. “The forest minister Babanrao Pachpute, during the winter session at Nagpur, had assured to fulfill the demands. However, nothing has been done even after seven months,” Dhotre argued.

During the winter session in December last year, Dhotre, while staging a hunger strike, had demanded that no mine should be allowed in the forests adjoining TATR and every project affecting the forests and environment in Chandrapur district should be referred to the Bio-diversity Board.

The drive against the proposed mining at Lohara is getting support from all the sections of the society. Noted social worker from Nagpur, Umesh Chaube, former vice-chancellor of Nagpur University, Haribhau Kedar, and other leaders have joined the campaign.

“According to a research conducted by Kolkata-based scientist TS Das, environmental value of a 50-year-old tree is around Rs15,70,000. The government has simply ignored the huge losses that would be incurred by the loss of around 13.50 million trees in the forest,” said Umesh Chaube.

At present, 31 mines are operating in the district and 22 others have been proposed which will virtually destroy the environment in the region, he added. He alleged that after commissioning, the mine will extract huge water from the ground. “The mine will extract 20.885 cubic mt water everyday from the ground. The daily need of the project is around 1.550 cubic mt, and around 19.335 cubic mt water will go waste everyday,” Chaube alleged.