India-based PRB Infraprojects Pvt Ltd has applied for clearances to carry out bauxite exploration across 1,100 acres of forest land in Karnataka’s Honnavar division, sparking concerns over potential ecological impact in a fragile coastal belt.
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The company has proposed drilling 25 boreholes and digging 25 pits in the Nittadgi block at an estimated project cost of around INR 1.4 crore.
Bauxite, a critical raw material for aluminium production, has seen rising exploration interest nationwide. The move follows a technical committee under the Union Ministry of Mines approving the proposal earlier this year.
PRB Infraprojects submitted its request to the deputy conservator of forests, Honnavar division, in March for a preliminary survey. Department sources said the proposal had been scrutinised, but the request coincided with a crucial transition — the state had not yet declared the Apsarakonda-Mugali marine sanctuary, Karnataka’s first effort to protect whales, dolphins, sharks, and lesser-known marine life.
Declared in June, the sanctuary now covers about 1,000 hectares adjoining the sea, a region researchers say harbours rich marine and terrestrial biodiversity. The proposed bauxite block’s northern boundary lies barely 200–300 metres from the Sharavathi river, an ecosystem already under pressure from illegal sand mining, commercial activity, and tourism waste.
Honnavar deputy conservator of forests Yogeesha C K told Deccan Herald, "Our field officers are going to submit a report on the matter, which will help establish details about the site's proximity to any protected area. I am going to visit the site to assess the situation before submitting the report."
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