New policy to strike a balance between development and ecology

The Cabinet Committee on
Infrastructure is expected to propose a policy that will strike a balance
between development and ecological concerns. The policy is being drafted to end
a tussle between the ministry of environment and the ministry of coal over the mining issue.

The new policy will relax the ‘no-go area’ norms
laid down by the environment ministry for mining.

In March 2010, the environment ministry
had marked 155 coal blocks in nine coal fields as ‘no-go’ areas. These areas were
intended to cater to 10 major power plants.

This had triggered a conflict between the ministries
of environment and coal, with the latter saying it would slow down power
generation as the banned coal blocks had potential of producing about 660
million tonnes.

The ministry had contended that mining should be
banned only in the cases of ‘pristine forests or wildlife sanctuaries’.

The country has about 40 coal-based power plants,
accounting for about 70 per cent of 162,366 MW of electricity production.

The protagonists in the government argue that coal
reserves are usually located in forest areas and a way has to be found to mine
these without affecting the ecology, including trees and wildlife.

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