Accepting the recommendation of its Forest Advisory Committee, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has granted in-principle forest clearance to divert 1,742.6 hectares of Hasdeo-Arand forest for the Kente Extension Coal Block (KECB). The block was allotted to Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RVUNL) in October 2015 for captive use, and the coal mined will feed the Chhabra and Suratgarh coal plants in Rajasthan. The block is to be mined by the Adani Group. The clearance, issued on June 9, comes despite a 2021 biodiversity assessment by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and ICFRE which stated that no mining should be carried out in the Hasdeo-Arand coal fields, except in the already operational Parsa East Kente Basan mine. The project in Surguja, Chhattisgarh, will involve felling of 4.48 lakh trees, including 97,837 trees in the first five years. Compensatory afforestation has been approved over 130.6 hectares of non-forest land and 4,450.326 hectares of degraded forest land, and 67,414 trees below 60 cm girth are to be translocated. The clearance is subject to two-phase mining: Phase-I over 1,001.95 hectares for 15 years, and Phase-II over the remaining 740.65 hectares linked to reforestation. The forest is home to nine Schedule-I species, including leopards, sloth bears and elephants, and is a catchment for the Hasdeo River and Bango Dam, situated within 10 km of the Lemru elephant reserve.
In-Principle Forest Clearance Granted for Kente Extension Coal Block in Hasdeo-Arand
The MoEFCC has granted in-principle forest clearance to divert 1,742.6 hectares of Hasdeo-Arand forest for the Kente Extension Coal Block allotted to RVUNL, despite a 2021 biodiversity assessment advising against mining in the region.
Key facts
- MoEFCC granted in-principle forest clearance to divert 1,742.6 hectares of Hasdeo-Arand forest for the Kente Extension Coal Block (KECB).
- The block was allotted to RVUNL in October 2015 for captive use; coal will feed the Chhabra and Suratgarh plants in Rajasthan and be mined by the Adani Group.
- The project will involve felling of 4.48 lakh trees, including 97,837 trees in the first five years.
- Mining will be in two phases: Phase-I over 1,001.95 hectares for 15 years, Phase-II over 740.65 hectares linked to reforestation.
- A 2021 WII-ICFRE biodiversity assessment had advised against mining in the Hasdeo-Arand coal fields except the operational Parsa East Kente Basan mine.
- The forest hosts nine Schedule-I species including leopards, sloth bears and elephants, and lies within 10 km of the Lemru elephant reserve.
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Practice MCQ from this story
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With reference to the in-principle forest clearance for the Kente Extension Coal Block (KECB) in Hasdeo-Arand, consider the following statements: 1. The KECB was allotted to the Adani Group in October 2015 for captive use at its own power plants. 2. The 2021 biodiversity assessment by WII and ICFRE recommended that mining be expanded across all Hasdeo-Arand coal fields. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Both statements are false. Statement 1: The KECB was allotted to Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RVUNL) in October 2015 for captive use at the Chhabra and Suratgarh plants, not to the Adani Group (the Adani Group is to mine it). Statement 2: The 2021 WII-ICFRE biodiversity assessment recommended that NO mining should be carried out in the Hasdeo-Arand coal fields, except in the already operational Parsa East Kente Basan mine. Hence neither statement is correct.
Source: The Indian Express
Frequently asked questions
Which ministry granted the in-principle forest clearance for the Kente Extension Coal Block?
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) granted the in-principle forest clearance, accepting the recommendation of its Forest Advisory Committee.
To whom was the Kente Extension Coal Block allotted and for what purpose?
It was allotted to Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RVUNL) in October 2015 for captive use, with the coal feeding the Chhabra and Suratgarh coal plants in Rajasthan.
How much forest area is to be diverted and in how many phases will mining occur?
A total of 1,742.6 hectares is to be diverted. Mining will occur in two phases: Phase-I over 1,001.95 hectares for 15 years and Phase-II over the remaining 740.65 hectares, linked to reforestation in Phase-I.
What did the 2021 biodiversity assessment recommend?
The WII and ICFRE assessment stated that no mining should be carried out in the Hasdeo-Arand coal fields, except in the already operational Parsa East Kente Basan mine.
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