MoEF frees 36,000 ha of 'no-go' area for coal mining

Hasdeo-Arand field in Chattisgarh still a 'no-go' area

neha

Neha Sethi | July 6, 2010



Succumbing to pressures from the PMO and the coal ministry, the  ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has released 36,000 hectare land for coal mining—which was earlier classified as “no-go” area because of fragile ecological condition.

This does not, however, include the Hasdeo-Arand field in Chhattisgarh which the PMO and the coal ministry wanted to be freed.

Talking to reporters, environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh said that there were a lot of underground mines in the land freed for mining. “Underground mining suits the environment ministry. We have problem with strip mining,” he added.

His ministry took the decision in consultation with the coal ministry.

The "no-go" area had become a bone of contention as it was found to contain high grade coal reserve and both the PMO and the coal ministry wanted the MoEF to relax its norms so that these could be mined.

Comments

 

Other News

AI: Code, Control, Conquer

India today stands at a critical juncture in the area of artificial intelligence. While the country is among the fastest adopters of AI in the world, it remains heavily reliant on technologies developed elsewhere. This paradox, experts warn, cannot persist if India seeks technological sovereignty.

RBI pauses to assess inflation risks, policy transmission

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has begun the new fiscal year with a calibrated pause, keeping the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent in its April Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. The decision, taken unanimously, reflects a shift from aggressive policy action to cautious observation after a signi

New pathways for tourism growth

Traditionally, India’s tourism policy has been based on three main components: the number of visitors, building tourist attractions and providing facilities for tourists. Due to the increase in climate-related issues and environmental destruction that occurred over previous years, policymakers have b

Is the US a superpower anymore?

On April 8, hours after warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight,” US president Donald Trump, exhibiting his unique style of retreating from high-voltage brinkmanship, announced that he agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran. The weekend talks in Islamabad have failed and the futur

Machines communicate, humans connect

There is a moment every event professional knows—the kind that arrives without warning, usually an hour before the curtain rises. Months of meticulous planning are in place. And then comes the call: “We’ll also need a projector. For the slides.”   No email

Why India is entering a ‘stagflation lite’ phase

India’s macroeconomic narrative is quietly shifting—from a rare “Goldilocks” equilibrium of stable growth and contained inflation to a more fragile phase where external shocks are beginning to dominate domestic policy outcomes. The numbers still look reassuring at first glance: GDP


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter