7 months ago
Maharashtra Clears Iron Ore Mine Near Wildlife Corridor
The Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife has approved a plan to mine iron ore near a place called Lohardongri.
This area is important because it connects two big forests where tigers and other animals live.
The board said yes to the plan, but only if the whole forest area is protected as a wildlife sanctuary.
Some people are worried because mining could hurt the animals and their homes.
They think it might make it harder for tigers to live there and could cause more problems between animals and people.
The plan still needs approval from a bigger board called the National Board for Wildlife.
The meeting also talked about building a new school near another forest and protecting a place where wild water buffalo live.
Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife approved an iron ore mining project near Lohardongri, a critical wildlife corridor.
The proposal requires notification of the entire 34,673.67-hectare forest area as a wildlife sanctuary.
The mining project could lead to irreversible environmental damage and increased human-wildlife conflict.
The proposed mine site is a vital corridor linking Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve with the Bramhapuri-Gadchiroli landscape.
The project still needs approval from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL).
- Who
- Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife (SBWL), Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)
- What
- Approval for wildlife clearance for an iron ore opencast mining project near Lohardongri
- Where
- Lohardongri, Brahmapuri taluka, Chandrapur district, Maharashtra
- When
- The meeting was held on Tuesday (specific date not mentioned)
- Why
- The proposal was examined by a three-member committee, which recommended wildlife clearance subject to conditions
Key facts
- Location
- Lohardongri, Brahmapuri taluka, Chandrapur district, Maharashtra
- Proposed Mining Area
- 35.94 hectares
- Wildlife Corridor Area
- 34,673.67 hectares
- Trees to be Felled
- 18,024
- Wildlife Species Affected
- Tigers, leopards, sloth bears
- Meeting Chair
- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
- Next Step
- Proposal sent to National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)
- Other Proposal Cleared
- Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) Campus in Sanjay Gandhi National Park Eco-Sensitive Zone
Quotes
Kishor Rithe
Member of the State Board for Wildlife and Director of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).
“The project will happen only if the NBWL gives clearance.”
indianexpress.com
“The project area is ecologically sensitive and prone to human-wildlife conflict, as it lies within the critical wildlife corridor and suggested that the feasibility of underground mining may be explored.”
indianexpress.com
Three-member committee report
A report submitted by a committee constituted by the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife.
“Any mining in this forest will cause irreversible damage to the environment and wildlife, loss of a large tree cover, immense pollution to the air and water.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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