Even as section of villagers have showed their readiness to Adani coal mines proposed to come up in Lohara-Junona reserve forest belt
adjoining Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), greens term it as a calculated move by the mining lobby to influence villagers, who have no ownership rights on the forest area.
On Wednesday, sarpanchs of Lohara and Borda gram panchayats held a press conference in the city declaring support to Adani mines for which 1750 hectare land of which 1573.56 hectare dense forest land and additional expanse of 500 hectare for dumping over-burden, will be diverted. However, on Thursday greens pooh-poohed claim of the villagers saying it is not the interest of a couple of villages but question of lives of four lakh people of Chandrapur.
"We must realise that we are trustees of everything nature has given and not owners. Only with this realisation will we be able to leave a healthy environment for the future generations. If the Adani mines are allowed, we will be moving into a situation from `past perfect' to `future tense'," remarked environmentalist Vijay Lapalikar, who has been vehemently opposing the Adani mines.
Conservationist Prafulla Bhamburkar was of the view that villagers are being misled. The so-called NGOs are opposed to relocating villages inside the tiger reserves but are forcing people outside to leave.
"Extensive coal mining has already polluted Chandrapur and destroyed environment creating problems for citizens. There is no further scope to switch over to such hazardous projects in the same area," said Bhamburkar.
He countered the claim of sarpanchs that the proposed coal blocks are faraway from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). Two compartments of Adani fall in the buffer zone of TATR. "It looks as if the villagers are speaking on behalf of Adani by saying that the company will take care of all environmental issues. The sarpanchs should check the dismal track record of other mining companies already operating in the area," Bhamburkar stressed.
Tiger conservationist Kishor Rithe said the villagers may be favourable as they can be influenced anytime but laws cannot. The forest to be diverted is not their property. There are certain legislations and policies to govern wildlife and forests. "Villagers are talking in short-term but what about their future generations?" Rithe asked.
Environmentalist Seema Sahu said the villagers came a long way to Nagpur to address the media, specially when the petition against Adani was being heard on Wednesday. Who brought them here? This should be investigated. She said if villagers want Adani mines they should seek relief from the high court as the matter is under subjudice.
Yogendra Dudpachare of Green Planet, Chandrapur, said, "We've adopted certain constitutional policies to protect and conserve our heritage and values for future generations. When lot of scope and avenues are available to the locals from forests, why should it be sacrificed for a few people lured by money."
Bandu Dhotre of Eco-Pro says villagers are not able to understand the game. Once the Adani proposal gets clearance from ministry of environment and forest (MoEF), it will open floodgates to other mining companies which are in the pipeline for coal excavation from areas adjacent to the TATR.
Sonia asks to probe coal block allotment
Nagpur: In a new twist to the Adani mine issue in Lohara, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has directed coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal to look into the allotment of coal blocks to Adani group in Lohara core zone near TATR. On August 27, defence minister AK Antony wrote to Jaiswal making reference of a letter written by MP Vijay Darda on August 7, pointing out adverse affects of mining near Chandrapur. Environmentalist Seema Sahu had written to Darda and highlighted various problems people would suffer if coal mines are allowed near TATR. Darda had even demanded to send a high power committee to Chandrapur and explanation from coal ministry on the said allotments to Adani.