22 JULY 2014www.thehindu.com
Anti-mining activists fear bauxite mining may resume in the West Coast
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
Attention maybe turned to exploration of bauxite ore after opening floodgates to greater private participation in coal mining by the National Democratic Alliance Government.
The mining lobby, which was lying low for quite sometime after the UPA-II put in abeyance all clearances accorded to bauxite mining in the Scheduled Areas of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari, has stepped up its effort to revive their projects by sourcing the raw material through the AP Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC).
Anti-mining activists fear that the government might allow mining bauxite ore for the projects planned by Anrak Aluminium Limited, Jindal South West Aluminium Limited and NALCO. These projects are in the pipeline with a total investment of around Rs.25,000 crore.
“Post-bifurcation, the clearances obtained earlier won’t hold good. A new Tribal Advisory Committee should be set up. Gram sabha mandate is also a pre-requisite going by Supreme Court’s landmark order against Vedanta’s mining plan in Niyamgiri hills in Odisha,” Samata executive director Rebbapragda Ravi said.
Several applications by the tribal people for allotment of pattas in the mining areas are pending under Forest Rights Act. “Only after approval from gram sabhas and clearance of applications under FRA, one should take up any plan for reviving mining,” said tribal activist B. David.
The Ministry of Mining suspended all the clearances in August 2010 after a strong representation submitted by then Araku MP V. Kishore Chandra Deo that mining in Scheduled Areas would cause an ecological disaster. Now there is fear among tribal people that mining may start anytime. AAL, a joint venture of Ras-al-Khaimah Investment Authority and Penna Cements and JSW Aluminium Ltd belonging to Jindal Group, have already signed Memoranda of Understanding for getting the raw material through APMDC several years ago. A senior official told The Hindu that mining by APMDC would not violate 1/70 of Land Transfer Regulation Act.
The mining lobby, which was lying low for quite sometime after the UPA-II put in abeyance all clearances accorded to bauxite mining in the Scheduled Areas of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari, has stepped up its effort to revive their projects by sourcing the raw material through the AP Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC).
Anti-mining activists fear that the government might allow mining bauxite ore for the projects planned by Anrak Aluminium Limited, Jindal South West Aluminium Limited and NALCO. These projects are in the pipeline with a total investment of around Rs.25,000 crore.
“Post-bifurcation, the clearances obtained earlier won’t hold good. A new Tribal Advisory Committee should be set up. Gram sabha mandate is also a pre-requisite going by Supreme Court’s landmark order against Vedanta’s mining plan in Niyamgiri hills in Odisha,” Samata executive director Rebbapragda Ravi said.
Several applications by the tribal people for allotment of pattas in the mining areas are pending under Forest Rights Act. “Only after approval from gram sabhas and clearance of applications under FRA, one should take up any plan for reviving mining,” said tribal activist B. David.
The Ministry of Mining suspended all the clearances in August 2010 after a strong representation submitted by then Araku MP V. Kishore Chandra Deo that mining in Scheduled Areas would cause an ecological disaster. Now there is fear among tribal people that mining may start anytime. AAL, a joint venture of Ras-al-Khaimah Investment Authority and Penna Cements and JSW Aluminium Ltd belonging to Jindal Group, have already signed Memoranda of Understanding for getting the raw material through APMDC several years ago. A senior official told The Hindu that mining by APMDC would not violate 1/70 of Land Transfer Regulation Act.
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