Environment ministry approves mining project, despite warning of 'massive' ecosystem risk
The Centre has been equally at fault inadvertently, or otherwise, patronising Uttarakhand's despicable sand and stone mining mafia.
This can be said with authority because the Union ministry of environment and forests has approved mining on the riverbed of Baur in the eco-fragile Terai region, which is part of the Shivalik elephant reserve, in Uttarakhand.
The Baur originates from the foothills of Nainital.
Significantly, the mining has been approved despite an inspection of the site by officials of the environment ministry's Lucknow regional office.
The environment ministry has approved the proposed mining project on the riverbed of Baur river which falls in the eco-fragile Terai region
The inspectors, in their report last year, clearly stated that this could trigger a massive degradation of the ecosystem in the area.
In Uttarakhand, most of the rivers that run through the Bhabhar Tract had been exploited for their sand and boulders, the report says.
The report, subsequently submitted to the Planning Commission, adds the forest is home to elephants, tigers, leopards, crocodiles, wild boars, sambhars, cheetals and blue bulls - protected species in the wildlife protection Act.
Corbett National Park is located at a crow's flight of 32 km from this wildlife zone, while the historically significant Corbett Nature Heritage Trail and Jim Corbett Museum in Chhoti Call Girls Haldwani are just 10 km away.
Though the mostly dry, sandy and rocky riverbed is bereft of any vegetation, the banks have rich foliage where trees such as khair, shisham, arjun, kanju, eucalyptus, mango,etc.
thrive in abundance.
Mining could jeopardise the ecological balance in the area, the report observes. The environment ministry has agreed to fritter away 140 hectares of highly sensitive forest land to the Uttarakhand Development Corporation Ltd in the Udham Singh Nagar district.
The corporation had sought environmental clearance for mining on the Baur riverbed for minor minerals last year.
Though it was hard to believe, it said 'collection of material' from the riverbed would help direct the river's course and subsequently reduce soil and water erosion.
The report takes a dig at this: 'No justification has been given by the state government regarding the demand and supply pattern so as to justify opening up of new areas for extraction. No alternatives have been examined.'
Udham Singh Nagar district magistrate P.S.
Jangpangi said: 'The issue has not come to me yet. Lease cannot be granted unless the Environment Impact Assessment is not carried out. I have known little about the Baur river and not heard about any such project'.
The environment ministry's central zone chief conservator of forests, Azam Zaidi, defended the mining proposal.
It would help control the flow of the river, he insisted.
When confronted with the contradictory report, and his own suggestions in it, Zaidi said: 'The project has yet to be approved. We are monitoring it. The area is probably part of the elephant corridor.'