NAGPUR: Even as the environment ministry continues to come under
pressure to speed up coal mining in forest areas, a GIS analysis
released by Greenpeace, an NGO working for environment protection, shows
that coal mining threatens over 1.1 million hectares forest in 13
coalfields in Central India alone.
The analysis - 'How coal mining is trashing tigerland', conducted by the Geoinformatics Lab at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bangalore, overlaid maps of 13 coalfields with forest cover, protected area boundaries and the latest government data on presence of tigers, elephants and leopards.dlife (NBWL).
The analysis - 'How coal mining is trashing tigerland', conducted by the Geoinformatics Lab at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bangalore, overlaid maps of 13 coalfields with forest cover, protected area boundaries and the latest government data on presence of tigers, elephants and leopards.dlife (NBWL).
The 13 coalfields include Singrauli, Sohagpur, Sonhat, Tatapani,
Hasdeo-Arand, Mandraigarh, Auranga, North Karanpura, West Bokaro,
Talcher, Ib Valley, Wardha and Kamptee. These coalfields are in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Vidarbha.
The analysis reveals that almost all coalfields overlap with endangered species habitat. Of the 1.1 million hectares of forest at risk, over 1,85,000 hectares are inhabited by tigers, over 2,70,000 hectares by leopards and over 55,000 hectares by elephants.
Saying that the blackout in Northern India is not a reason to fast-track coal projects, Ashish Fernandes, coal campaigner with Greenpeace said, "The blackout is a wake-up call for the government to revisit its unsustainable energy policy. We need to diversify our power generation sources as well as our distribution model."
He added that renewable energy and energy efficiency can no longer be given step motherly treatment. "Locking the country into a coal intensive pathway is going to be disastrous for the country, and will not guarantee us power."
The report highlights the massive costs India is facing from the huge expansion in coal mining. The mines will impact eight tiger reserves and corridors, including Tadoba-Andhari, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Sanjay-Dubri, Kawal, Satkosia, Simlipal and Palamau. These reserves have been identified by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) as essential for the long-term survival of the species, yet face the threat of coal mining.
Greenpeace warned the analysis is just the tip of the iceberg, as there are approximately 40 coalfields in Central India, many of them in forest areas. "The study focuses on coal mining's impact on mega fauna, but the loss of forests is also going to hit communities dependent on them. The era of cheap coal is over. Across India, from mine to power plant, communities are questioning coal as a source of electricity and asking for sustainable alternatives," Fernandes said.
After the prime minister's office (PMO) and the group of ministers dismissed the 'Go' and 'No Go' policy on coal mining in forest areas, the coal lobby has been demanding that environment ministry approve all coal mining proposals in forest areas. Adani Power Limited (APL) has already moved to get back Lohara mines near Tadoba.
In April 2012, environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan refuted the charge that her ministry was to blame for the power shortage faced by the country. She said that clearances granted by her ministry for coal mining and coal-fired power plants in fact surpass the Indian government's own targets till 2017.
"The environment ministry continues to clear coal power projects and mines way beyond requirement, often overriding objections of its own officials and committees. We are asking for an immediate moratorium on all new forest clearances, until the criteria for determining forests off limits to mining are agreed on and implemented, with proper public consultation and input," said Biswajit Mohanty of Wildlife Society of Orissa and member of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
The analysis reveals that almost all coalfields overlap with endangered species habitat. Of the 1.1 million hectares of forest at risk, over 1,85,000 hectares are inhabited by tigers, over 2,70,000 hectares by leopards and over 55,000 hectares by elephants.
Saying that the blackout in Northern India is not a reason to fast-track coal projects, Ashish Fernandes, coal campaigner with Greenpeace said, "The blackout is a wake-up call for the government to revisit its unsustainable energy policy. We need to diversify our power generation sources as well as our distribution model."
He added that renewable energy and energy efficiency can no longer be given step motherly treatment. "Locking the country into a coal intensive pathway is going to be disastrous for the country, and will not guarantee us power."
The report highlights the massive costs India is facing from the huge expansion in coal mining. The mines will impact eight tiger reserves and corridors, including Tadoba-Andhari, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Sanjay-Dubri, Kawal, Satkosia, Simlipal and Palamau. These reserves have been identified by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) as essential for the long-term survival of the species, yet face the threat of coal mining.
Greenpeace warned the analysis is just the tip of the iceberg, as there are approximately 40 coalfields in Central India, many of them in forest areas. "The study focuses on coal mining's impact on mega fauna, but the loss of forests is also going to hit communities dependent on them. The era of cheap coal is over. Across India, from mine to power plant, communities are questioning coal as a source of electricity and asking for sustainable alternatives," Fernandes said.
After the prime minister's office (PMO) and the group of ministers dismissed the 'Go' and 'No Go' policy on coal mining in forest areas, the coal lobby has been demanding that environment ministry approve all coal mining proposals in forest areas. Adani Power Limited (APL) has already moved to get back Lohara mines near Tadoba.
In April 2012, environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan refuted the charge that her ministry was to blame for the power shortage faced by the country. She said that clearances granted by her ministry for coal mining and coal-fired power plants in fact surpass the Indian government's own targets till 2017.
"The environment ministry continues to clear coal power projects and mines way beyond requirement, often overriding objections of its own officials and committees. We are asking for an immediate moratorium on all new forest clearances, until the criteria for determining forests off limits to mining are agreed on and implemented, with proper public consultation and input," said Biswajit Mohanty of Wildlife Society of Orissa and member of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
The report also identifies key corporate players in each coalfield, and
warns that securing clearances for coal mining in forest areas is going
to be more difficult as the level of scrutiny by civil society
increases.
As part of a public mobilization drive, Greenpeace is collecting signatures on a petition to the prime minister demanding that he ensure protection of forests in Central India from coal mining.
BOX
WHAT 13 COALFIELDS MEAN
* Destruction of over a million hectares of standing forest, of which over 7,39,000ha is dense forest with canopy density of 40% and above
* Over 3,54,000ha forest lies within 10km buffer of a protected area. This has both ecological implications and legal implications. Any mining will need nod of NBWL
* Over 1,86,600ha within these 13 coalfields showed tiger presence according to official data in 2010
* Over 2,77,600ha within these coalfields showed leopard presence and 55,900ha showed elephant presence
* Connectivity between Bandhavgarh, Palamau, Hazaribagh, Tadoba, Bor, Umred-Kharandla, Pench, Satpuda, Tadoba, Chaprala, Kawal, Indravati and Satkosia-Simlipal will be severed by coal mining
* Will impact 8 tiger reserves which harbour an estimated 230 tigers
* Coal India has announced plans to ramp up domestic coal production from 435 mtpa in 2011 to 615 mtpa in 2017
* Given the current state of coal mining, virtually all forest areas in these 13 coalfields and many more will need to be opened up to facilitate mining
As part of a public mobilization drive, Greenpeace is collecting signatures on a petition to the prime minister demanding that he ensure protection of forests in Central India from coal mining.
BOX
WHAT 13 COALFIELDS MEAN
* Destruction of over a million hectares of standing forest, of which over 7,39,000ha is dense forest with canopy density of 40% and above
* Over 3,54,000ha forest lies within 10km buffer of a protected area. This has both ecological implications and legal implications. Any mining will need nod of NBWL
* Over 1,86,600ha within these 13 coalfields showed tiger presence according to official data in 2010
* Over 2,77,600ha within these coalfields showed leopard presence and 55,900ha showed elephant presence
* Connectivity between Bandhavgarh, Palamau, Hazaribagh, Tadoba, Bor, Umred-Kharandla, Pench, Satpuda, Tadoba, Chaprala, Kawal, Indravati and Satkosia-Simlipal will be severed by coal mining
* Will impact 8 tiger reserves which harbour an estimated 230 tigers
* Coal India has announced plans to ramp up domestic coal production from 435 mtpa in 2011 to 615 mtpa in 2017
* Given the current state of coal mining, virtually all forest areas in these 13 coalfields and many more will need to be opened up to facilitate mining
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