The Centre today said it had rejected an application by Adani Group to set up a coal mine at Lohara near Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), to supply coal for its 1980mw power plant in Gondia district of Maharashtra.
"I have rejected an application of Adani Group for coal mining near Tadoba tiger reserve," environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh said at a function in New Delhi.
He said his ministry had issued a letter on January 7 to the Adani Group stating that the permission (for coal mining) has been denied to them as it would destroy rich forests and tiger habitat.
Ramesh said that there was opposition to the project from the local population, who feared threat to the local ecosystem.
He said the coal ministry has been asked to provide an alternate coal block to Adani to set up a mine. The project is proposed at a distance of 12km from boundary of Tadoba tiger reserve.
Ramesh noted that Chandrapur industrial belt ranked fourth among the most polluting industrial belts of the country.
The forest ministry has launched an exercise of mapping to identify the coal blocks falling under forest land and endangering wildlife and forests, he said.
