AS PROTESTS intensify over the prospect of a Coal India subsidiary getting clearance to mine inside Assam’s Dihing Patkai elephant reserve, an expert member who inspected the site on behalf of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has asked the environment ministry to amend the minutes of the last NBWL meeting so that the Board’s decision is not distorted.
In a letter to Environment minister Prakash Javadekar, Raman Sukumar, eminent elephant expert and NBWL member, also sought action against North Eastern Coalfields for suppressing from the NBWL the extent of violations at the project site.
Examining NEC’s proposal to mine 98.59 hectares of forestland, the NBWL on April 7 recommended approval for 57.20 hectares of already illegally broken up area subject to the submission of a plan for mine reclamation with local tree species.
