Is Odisha's Alakananda Coal Mine Project Worth the Environmental Cost?

Concerns Over Forest Land Diversion for Mining

New Delhi/Angul: In Odisha's Angul district, over 750 hectares of forest land is set to be repurposed for mining activities at the Alakananda coal mine, which has been allocated to Rungta Sons Private Limited.

This mining location is situated approximately 4.9 kilometers from the Similipal-Satkosia Gorge tiger corridor and 8.5 kilometers from the Sambalpur elephant reserve. The area has recently been home to various wildlife, including elephants, sloth bears, and leopards.

The proposed diversion of forest land, which would result in the removal of over 330,000 trees, received a stage-1 (in-principle) approval recommendation from the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the environment ministry during their meeting on July 7.

The conditions for stage-I clearance include mandatory compensatory afforestation, which must be completed before the stage-II formal diversion approval can be issued.

During the meeting, the committee noted that the eastern and southern edges of the mining site are bordered by the Olhani river.

Additionally, the Tikra river, a tributary of the Brahmani river, flows roughly 750 meters north of the proposed mining lease area.

The project is expected to displace 818 families and impact 1,584 families across five villages.

The FAC's approval recommendation includes several stipulations, such as ensuring a safety buffer of at least 50 meters on both sides of the Olhani river by the state government.

Another requirement is the establishment of a regional wildlife management plan, which must be sanctioned by the chief wildlife warden, as outlined in the meeting's minutes.

Furthermore, the minutes specify that tree removal should occur in phases, coordinated with the state forest department and in line with the approved mining and mine closure plans, as well as the forest department's guidelines.