This story is from July 2, 2020

Aaditya, Rathod welcome scrapping of Bander coal block auction

Aaditya, Rathod welcome scrapping of Bander coal block auction
Nagpur: Greens and state ministers are overjoyed with the Union coal and mines minister Pralhad Joshi’s decision to scrap Bander coal blocks, near the buffer and eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), from the auction list.
Bander was among 41 blocks released for auction on June 18. The decision was vehemently opposed not only by wildlife and environment activists but also Maharashtra environment minister Aaditya Thackeray and forest minister Sanjay Rathod.
A social worker Pramod Junghare even filed a PIL in Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court against the move.
“Though I have no formal communication from the Centre, as an environment minister and also a common citizen, I would really be happy to not have a coal mine near Tadoba or any of our wildlife or biodiversity hubs. We must have development, but that should be sustainable,” state environment minister Aditya Thackeray told TOI.
State forest minister Sanjay Rathod said he had asked his ministry that as the proposed mines would destroy tiger corridor to several protected areas in Central India, no process should be initiated for forest land diversion under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980. “I too had objected to the auction in letter to Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar,” he added.
Kishor Rithe, former member of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), said, “Our development model is energy-intensive. However, if the same energy is generated by polluting environment, how can you expect sustainable clean development?”
Rithe added the energy sector had changed in last eight years. Power demand is 40% of the total installed capacity today. On March 24, 2020, while all industries were operating, power demand was 146GW against the installed capacity of 369GW. This includes 198GW from thermal power plants, 88GW from new and renewable energy sources (NRE) and 83GW from other sources like biofuel etc

“This shows that the country can progress with NRE and energy sources other than the coal. We should phase out thermal power in next four years and reduce the pollution in the country,” added Rithe.
“The exclusion of five blocks in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh is a positive step by the coal ministry. There are many other blocks like Marki, Fatehpur, Gotitoria, Thesgora, Dhirauli, Marwatola etc which need to be excluded on similar grounds,” said Milind Pariwakam, a wildlife biologist who has worked extensively on connectivity issues in Central India.
Pariwakam added, “These blocks are important from the tiger and elephant conservation perspective. The inclusion and subsequent exclusion of the five blocks in the auction indicates ignorance of the needs of wildlife and the environment in planning stage.”
Bander villager Devidas Shrimande also lauded the decision. “Coal mining in Murpar has brought misery to our counterparts. The mines would have destroyed agriculture, our only livelihood,” he said.
“The Eastern Vidarbha Landscape has presence of at least 200 tigers of which 60% are in Tadoba and adjoining areas. Hampering movement of wildlife by coal mines would have caused surge in man-wildlife conflict bringing humans in direct contact with tigers, leopards and sloth bears,” said Bandu Dhotre, NGO Eco Pro president, Chandrapur.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA