The January 10 setback received to global iron and steel giant ArcelorMittal put the onus on the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF).
It is learnt that the State Government which had been tasked to draft a sustainable mining plan for the flora-rich Saranda area based on a carrying capacity study had submitted its latest response about two months back.
Top sources in the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change confided to The Pioneer that the decision on the final report was yet to be taken from Delhi. “The MoEF had sought some comments on the Carrying Capacity Study by ICFRE (Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun) and the Integrated Wildlife Management Plan (IWMP) prepared by Jharkhand. The comments were sent and it is pending with the MoEF for approval,” said a senior official on Saturday.
It is important here to note that the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) meeting held on January 10, 2017 had after considering the facts and circumstances for approval of mining by MoEF under Section-2 (iii) of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 in Saranda division did not recommend for granting the said approval.
ArcelorMittal willing to set up 12 MT iron ore plant in the State has been jostling to get the mining lease over 202.35 hectares of forest land to mine iron ore and manganese.
The all powerful FAC while discussing the application of the company had mentioned that, “Any decision to allow mining lease or open up new area in Saranda Forest for mining needs to be taken after careful thought, particularly on the likely adverse effect on the ecology of the area. It is evident that till the plan for sustainable mining in Saranda is finalised based on the Carrying Capacity Study conducted by the ICFRE, Dehradun and the IWMP prepared by the State of Jharkhand, it is not desirable for the State Government to assign forest land by way of lease in the Saranda Forest Region.”
The FAC under the MoEF had tasked the State Government way back in 2009 to prepare a wildlife management plan. While the State had in August 2011 constituted an expert committee to come up with an integrated plan for the Saranda forest, the panel submitted a draft plan in early 2012 and a final plan one year later in April.
Inputs coming in suggest that the Carrying Capacity Report and mining plan have demarcated the entire forest division into different zones, including eco-sensitive zone. “Nevertheless there is none ‘no-go’ area marked in the report of the MoEF itself. There can be restricted mining, planned mining but there cannot be no mining! Otherwise make a policy that the entire iron ore wealth over there it to be left untouched,” added the official.
The FAC also reiterated some facts about the Saranda reserve forest putting forest density 0.5 with eco value class-I. The declination also came since there is considerable presence of elephants along with their corridors, giant squirrel, reptiles, sloth bear, barking deer and other wildlife; nonetheless “the forest land proposed for lease is not located within eco-sensitive zone”.
ArcelorMittal had proposed investment of Rs50,000-crore for mining in the Saranda forests located in West Singhbhum district. As the lease given to the company was expiring on January 11, it had approached the Delhi High Court for an early decision.
The FAC meeting called thereafter was the result of the directions coming from the court. But with the committee rejecting the proposal in the want of sustainable mining plan based on carrying capacity study, the long pending proposal now has not left with much life.