Odisha: Panel clears diversion of 750 hectares of forest for coal mine

More than 750 hectares of forest land in Odisha's Angul district is set to be diverted for coal mining at the proposed Alakananda coal block, allotted to Rungta Sons Pvt Ltd, following an in-principle recommendation by the Centre's Forest Advisory Committee (FAC).

The diversion would result in the felling of over 3.3 lakh trees, according to the minutes of the FAC meeting held on 7 July. The committee recommended stage-I (in-principle) forest clearance, subject to a series of conditions. Stage-I approval requires compliance with safeguards, including compensatory afforestation, before the project can receive final (stage-II) clearance.

The proposed mine lies in an ecologically sensitive landscape. It is located around 4.9 km from the Similipal-Satkosia Gorge tiger corridor and about 8.5 km from the Sambalpur elephant reserve. The surrounding forests have recorded the presence of elephants, sloth bears, leopards and several other wild species in recent years.

The FAC also noted that the eastern and southern boundaries of the proposed mining lease are flanked by the Olhani river, while the Tikra river, a tributary of the Brahmani, flows roughly 750 metres north of the project area.

The committee recommended that the Odisha government maintain a minimum 50-metre safety barrier on either side of the Olhani river and implement a regional wildlife management plan approved by the state's chief wildlife warden.

It further directed that tree felling be undertaken in phases, in consultation with the state forest department and in accordance with the approved mining and mine-closure plans.

Apart from its environmental impact, the project is expected to have significant social consequences. According to project documents, 818 families will be displaced, while a total of 1,584 families across five villages will be affected by the mining operations.

The proposal comes amid continuing concerns over the diversion of forest land for mining, infrastructure and industrial projects across the country. According to government data presented in Parliament, more than 1.73 lakh hectares of forest land have been diverted for non-forest purposes since the Forest (Conservation) Act came into force in 1980, with mining accounting for one of the largest shares. Conservationists have repeatedly warned that while compensatory afforestation is mandated, newly planted forests cannot fully replace the ecological functions, biodiversity and carbon-storage capacity of mature natural forests.

Odisha, one of India's most mineral-rich states, has witnessed extensive forest diversion over the years for coal, iron ore and bauxite mining, fuelling an ongoing debate over balancing industrial growth with the protection of ecologically sensitive habitats and wildlife corridors.

With PTI inputs