Centre stops mining near Tadoba

the union environment ministry has stepped in to prevent mining near the Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve. It has told the Maharashtra government that the mining leases allotted in the buffer zone of the reserve have to be cancelled.

Coal India Limited had allotted coal blocks to three companies including Adani group in the buffer zone in 2007. None of them has been given environmental clearance for their projects.

In a letter to state chief minister Ashok Chavan dated September 8. Union minister of state, Jairam Ramesh, categorically said no mining activities would be allowed near Tadoba. The letter asked the chief minister to review the dam project on river Human (pronounced Hooman) in Chandrapur district that would submerge forestland near Tadoba.

Ramesh has also invited a proposal from the Maharashtra government for bringing Nagzira wildlife sanctuary in the Bhandara and Ghondia districts under Project Tiger.Maharashtras principal chief conservator of forests, Alok Joshi, said the Nagzira proposal has not moved forward in the last one decade because the Forest Development Corporation of the state did not agree to transfer the 100 sq km forestland it owns near Nagzira. After the Union ministers letter, meetings have been called to sort out the matter, Joshi said.