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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Eco activists want ban on bauxite mining in Shevaroyan Hills

Eco activists want ban on bauxite mining in Shevaroyan Hills

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published Published on Jan 24, 2011   modified Modified on Jan 24, 2011
Accusing the Mettur-based Madras Aluminium Company (MALCO) of the Vedanta Group of indulging in “blatant violations” of all laws at the eco-sensitive Shevaroyan Hills here while mining for bauxite, a team of environmentalists and social activists, who carried out an exhaustive study on the environmental impact, has urged the State and Central governments to impose an `immediate ban' on its mining operations.

The fact-finding study, sponsored by Salem-based Social Research and Legal Advocacy Society on the ‘Issue related to Bauxite mining in Shevaroyan Hills,' has pointed out that MALCO has been mining bauxite atop the Shevaroyan Hills, which forms a vital link between Western and Eastern Ghats, without adhering to any norms.

The team has urged the State to form an expert committee to assess the damages the mining has caused to the environment and its impact on the socio-economic issues on the lives of Malayali tribals there. They even want the exercise of ecological restoration to be taken up on a war-footing for which Vedanta Group should pay. The activists also insisted that action should be initiated against the officials of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Departments of Revenue, Mines, Pollution and Geology of Tamil Nadu for colluding with the industry. Submitting a report, the team said that bauxite mining has been going on in the hills' six peaks in which 471 acres of land have been leased out to MALCO for 30 years since 1973. “Mining has led to an acute biotic pressure on the ecology of the fragile hills and after Vedanta took over MALCO in 1998, it has become aggressive, leading to drastic decline in floristic diversity and destruction of fauna and herbal plants.” The study pointed out that the land being mined was once an ideal grass land. “It has led to the change in the rainfall pattern as the Shevaroyan Hills were a natural catchment and water retention area during South West Monsoon. The mining was so intense that the height of the hills was even reduced by about 100 feet,” the team claimed.

Huge craters and lack of the mandatory green belt around the core area have not been reclaimed and developed. The team claims that after a PIL was filed, mining was stopped at the Kolli Hills. In the absence of such interventions, the mining of low grade bauxite was continuing unhindered though MALCO has closed its aluminium smelter plant at Metter due to non availability of quality ore. Tamil Nadu government has also issued fresh mining permits for the industry since it was selling the same to cement manufacturing units.

The Hindu, 25 January, 2011, http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article1122891.ece


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