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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Ramesh asks PM for mining rethink-Sumi Sukanya

Ramesh asks PM for mining rethink-Sumi Sukanya

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published Published on May 31, 2013   modified Modified on May 31, 2013
-The Telegraph


Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh has written to the Prime Minister for a rethink on a cabinet committee's recent clearances to two mining projects in Jharkhand's Saranda forests.

Ramesh has argued that the projects would harm his ministry's Rs 300-crore development plan for the region, alienate local tribals and weaken the fight to contain the Maoists, a ministry official said.

The Prime Minister heads the cabinet committee on infrastructure, which gave the go-ahead. The environment ministry's statutory expert panel, the Forest Advisory Committee, too, cleared the projects.

This means that JSW Steel and Jindal Power and Steel can mine iron ore and manganese in prime sal forests close to an elephant reserve. This is estimated to affect around 90,000 trees.

Besides, three other mining projects by the Chaibasa-based Rungta Mines Ltd are expected to be approved soon.

Ramesh's ministry believes the government should not change its earlier stand of not allowing mining projects in the forests any more, the ministry official said. He said the ministry saw the clearances as a threat to its Saranda Development Plan, aimed at countering Maoism.

"The forest, a hotbed of Maoist activities till 2011, was home to several rebel training camps till the area was cleared by the paramilitary forces," the official said.

"The development plan, which includes an extensive housing scheme, employment provisions and projects on basic amenities, will suffer if mining goes on. The plan was aimed at winning the tribals' hearts and keeping the Maoists at bay but this prospect is under threat now. All these issues have been raised in the letter."

Ramesh's letter says the new mines threaten to ravage the virgin forestland nestled between the existing mines.

Some 1,000 hectares have been approved for JSW Steel to mine iron ore and manganese at the Ankua reserve forest, just 6km from the high-priority Ankua-Ambia elephant corridor. Jindal Power and Steel has got 500 hectares for an iron-ore mine.

While giving its nod, the Forest Advisory Committee had cited the environment and forests ministry's decision to allow forest diversion for iron-ore mines to SAIL in the region. In February 2011, the ministry had bypassed the committee to allow SAIL to mine iron ore at the Chiria mines in the region.

Sources said the recent approvals could set off a rush to exploit the mineral resources of Jharkhand. They added that the state government had prepared a list of 155 mines to be opened in an 800sqkm swathe of prime forestland.


The Telegraph, 31 May, 2013, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130531/jsp/nation/story_16956389.jsp#.Uag-B9jcjco


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