Coal Mining – Forest Panel Grants Initial Clearance for Mining Projects in Two States
Coal Mining – The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change’s empowered committee has granted preliminary approval for the diversion of 1,954.35 hectares of forest land to support coal and mining projects across Chhattisgarh and Odisha. The decision marks the first stage of the approval process and is subject to compliance with environmental safeguards and statutory conditions.
Initial Approval for Chhattisgarh Mining Projects
The Advisory Committee for Forest Clearance has provided stage-1, also known as in-principle approval, for the diversion of 983.44 hectares of forest land in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh district. The approvals relate to two separate mining proposals aimed at expanding coal production in the region while remaining subject to environmental regulations.
Following an assessment of the proposal submitted by the Chhattisgarh government, the committee recommended the diversion of 621.331 hectares of forest land for the Purunga underground coal block located in Chhal tehsil. The project has been approved in favour of Ambuja Cements Ltd, allowing it to move forward to the next stage of the statutory clearance process.
Environmental Conditions Attached to the Approval
The committee directed Ambuja Cements Ltd to comply with several mandatory conditions before any further progress on the project. These include adopting measures to minimise tensile strain on the ground surface, depositing the required net present value for the diverted forest land, and carrying out compensatory afforestation as required under existing environmental regulations.
In a separate decision, the committee also granted in-principle clearance for the diversion of 362.109 hectares of forest land for the Pelma open-cast mining project in the Raigarh Forest Division. The project has been approved in favour of South Eastern Coalfields Ltd, subject to the applicable legal and environmental requirements.
Odisha Projects Receive Forest Clearance
The committee also considered proposals from Odisha and approved Tata Steel Ltd’s application related to the Gandhalpada iron ore block in Keonjhar district. The proposal covers a lease area measuring 216.875 hectares and advances the project to the next stage of the approval process.
While granting the clearance, the panel instructed the Odisha government to ensure that the company does not undertake any land modification or mining activity within the leased area without obtaining the necessary permissions under the Forest Conservation Act. The direction reinforces the requirement that all statutory approvals must be secured before operational work begins.
Approval for Alakananda Coal Mines
In another significant decision concerning Odisha, the committee approved the diversion of 754.039 hectares of forest land for the Alakananda Coal Mines project. The mining venture is owned by Rungta Sons Pvt Ltd and is located in Chhendipada tehsil of the Angul Forest Division.
The latest approvals represent only the initial phase of the forest clearance process. Before mining operations can begin, the project developers must satisfy all prescribed environmental conditions and obtain the remaining statutory permissions. The decisions highlight the government’s effort to balance mineral resource development with regulatory oversight designed to protect forest ecosystems and ensure compliance with environmental laws.