After clearing more than 20 quarrying projects in Tamil Nadu in the last two years, the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) has deferred a dozen proposals for granite mining and construction of buildings for industrial units outside protected areas in Erode and Krishnagiri districts.
The Inspector General of Forests (Wildlife) told the 54th meeting of the Standing Committee that the 12 proposals pertained to the mining of granite, collection of river bed materials and setting up processing units.
While the processing units were to be set up at Mallanguzhi village in Thalavadi taluk of Erode district, about six km from the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, the two quarries were to come up at Eruthukottai village, about 3 km from the North Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary in Krishnagiri.
The Chief Wildlife Warden and the State Board for Wildlife had given their nod for the projects. The Chief Wildlife Warden had stipulated three conditions: the project proponents needed to submit a mining management and reclamation plan, an impact mitigation plan as well as a proposal for wildlife conservation. They were to follow the conditions set by the respective DFOs and ensure there was no disturbance to wildlife during the projects’ implementation.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority had also cleared the granite cutting and polishing units, involving heavy machinery, with conditions. Since the area is frequented by elephants, no industrial or mining activity should be carried out between sunset and sunrise, it said.
The units should function inside a closed space and refrain from dumping waste outside, it stipulated, adding that transport of mining or construction materials should not occur on roads passing through eco-sensitive zones.
No labour camps, night- time camping or work should be allowed. The Authority asked the State to form a monitoring committee to oversee the wildlife and environmental issues.
However, Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and NBWL Standing Committee chairman, stated that these proposals could be deliberated upon at a forthcoming meeting in the light of the Sustainable Mining Management Guidelines issued by the Ministry.
Therefore, the Standing Committee decided to defer the proposals.
