Mining in reserve forest: NMDC to pay penalty, says central panel

Mining operations in 239 acres of the reserved forest land in Sandur of Ballari district, is set to prove costly for NMDC Limited, with a central committee accepting the state government’s recommendation to penalise the mining company for violations in the past 44 years.

The company began operations in 1977 after getting a mining lease of 1,502 acres, before the enactment of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. However, the firm failed to follow the rule in getting the forest clearance for 249.37 acres, while getting the lease renewed in 1997. Moreover, the violated area was in several patches spread over the 582.27 acre parcel of forest land.

Last year, when the company applied for regularisation of the violation, officials of the Environment, Forest and Climate change visited the mining area and found that the forest hosts a rich wildlife from leopard, sloth bear, jackal and antelope to porcupine, monitor lizard, pangolin and a variety of bird population.

The matter was referred to the Forest Advisory Committee, where the authorities of the NMDC admitted that the violation has not stopped and the work is still in progress. To compensate for the damage, the company has proposed to take up conservation in 95 acres of the area adjacent to Gudekote Sloth Bear Sanctuary. The remaining amount for compensatory afforestation would be used for afforestation in 488 acres.

Considering that violation was in patches inside the forest parcel of 582.27 acres, the state forest department had opined that the entire parcel be considered. However, the central committee limited the diversion to 249.37 acres and advised the state officials to come up with a forest management plan for the remaining 342.92 acres by roping in the company.

“The state government shall prepare an integrated wildlife management plan in the surrounding of the forest area proposed for diversion and implement the same at the cost of (NMDC),” the committee comprising Additional Director General of Forests (Forest Conservation) S P Yadav and others said, granting in-principle approval for the proposal.

The central committee noted that the state government has not provided any information on action taken against the officials who are responsible for the violation.