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One-third of coal blocks up for auction in wildlife habitats

The latest survey conducted using Global Information System (GIS) by Greenpeace India shows that of the 101 coal blocks that are up for auction this year, 35 are in the habitats of tigers, leopards or elephants. Twenty of these blocks are within 10 km of a protected forest area or within 15 km of an identified wildlife corridor. An order issued by the Ministry of Coal on December 18, 2014, had identified these 101 coal blocks for auction/allotment. The blocks are spread across eight States - Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Of the blocks up for auction, 39 critical blocks cover a total forest area of more than 10,500 hectares. Greenpeace India collected GIS data from five States for 46 coal blocks spread over 10 coal fields. Data for the remaining 55 blocks of 101 was not available. In addition, many village boundaries overlap with the areas of the listed blocks, which call for approvals from grama sabhas under the Forests Rights Act, 2006, and prior to forest diversion under the Forest Conservation Act 1980. Several blocks are already facing legal challenges in various courts, the study notes. As a result bidders are likely to face challenges in operationalising these blocks.

In an official statement released on Friday, the environmental NGO has advised the government to withdraw these 39 blocks from the auction process, as unwary bid winners are likely to face legal challenges and community opposition if they persist. Besides issues of financial viability for auctioneers, several of the coal block areas are also facing local unrest, which poses challenges for the administration there.
'Not transparent'

Greenpeace India has also highlighted in its study that details of forest clearances given to mining projects are not being processed transparently. It has reiterated the need to go for a transparent and consultative process to define areas that will be inviolate or “no go” for mining, not only in the interests of the environment, forest communities and wildlife, but also in the interests of investors. Forest areas that were previously off-limits to miners have been reduced. Compared to 2009, no-go blocks were reduced from 222 to 24, and in percentage terms from 35 to 8, which makes existing forest cover vulnerable to exploitation, the study says.

source: http://www.thehindu.com