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Mining industry

India's Last Remaining Old-Growth Forest Faces Widespread Deforestation

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

India's last remaining old-growth forests, the Hasdeo Arand, are set to be devastated by the Parsa East Kente Basan (PEKB) coal mining project, which will affect over 368,000 trees. The Chhattisgarh government has granted permission for the project, citing environmental clearance and mitigation measures, despite local opposition and tribal rights claims. The project's expansion will contribute to the destruction of a biodiversity-rich forest, exacerbating the climate crisis.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Parsa East Kente Basan (PEKB) coal mining project in Chhattisgarh's Hasdeo Arand forest will affect over 368,000 trees, according to minister of state for environment Kirti Vardhan Singh.
  • The project spans 170,000 hectares, with 22 coal blocks underneath it, and has been granted environmental clearance despite local opposition and tribal rights claims.
  • Permissions were granted twice for the project expansion, with the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) holding public hearings in 2009 and 2016, and the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) recommending environmental clearance.
  • The project's expansion allows for 20% more coal production, with the proponent having carried out a cumulative impact assessment to mitigate environmental impacts.
  • The government remains committed to ensuring that mining activities are carried out in an environmentally sustainable manner, despite ongoing protests and concerns about deforestation and tribal rights.

Statistics:

  • Over 368,000 trees will be affected due to the Parsa East Kente Basan (PEKB) coal mining project.
  • The project spans 170,000 hectares, with 22 coal blocks underneath it.
  • The Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) held public hearings in 2009 and 2016 for environmental clearance.
  • The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) recommended environmental clearance for the project's expansion.
  • The project's expansion allows for a 20% increase in coal production, from 15 to 18 MTPA.

Sources:

  • HT Digital Content Services
  • Lok Sabha
  • Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation
  • Hindustan Times

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