Mining Project Threatens Maharashtra Tiger Reserves

For the nature lovers and conservationists of India, the news came as a real blow!

Maharashtra State Government has decided to change the wild abode of Tigers into an opencast coal mine. The State government has planned to build a coal mining project at one of the best natural habitats of Tigers in western part of the country.

Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra is famed as a rich Tiger corridor that joins north and south Chandrapur Forest Divisions of the state. According to 2007 census, there are more than 80 Tigers in the protected and reserve forests of Chandarpur districts which contributes 8-9 percent of existing Tiger population of the country. This region is also blessed with 300 species of trees and 70 species of wild animals.

But this decision of the State government has made the residents of the region very angry. Maharashtra government is supporting the Adani Power Ltd, which is going to build the biggest opencast coal mine at this forested area of the state. It is a 140 million tonne coal mining project. The proposed land for this coal mine is in the buffore zone of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve.

Already there are 10 existing coal mines in the Chandarpur district which has created havoc in this area. People living around Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve are constantly worrying that this new coal mine would worsen the situation more. It would replace at least 3, 500 hectares of prime forestland.
Dust from this mine would further damage the agricultural fields of the region, rendering 10,000 villagers jobless.

But, a little ray of hope is still there for both people and Tigers of the area. Ministry of Environment and Forest has not yet showed its green signal to this project. Sri Jayram Ramesh, Union Minister of Environment and Forest, has strongly opposed this plan of Maharashtra government, as he said that this decision of State government would surely hamper the Tiger reserve.

So, now the decision is in the hands of Environment Ministry of India. Its completely depends on them whether they want to save the fate of Tigers or cover the clear sky with a layer of dust.