The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has granted in-principle approval for the diversion of 1954.35 hectares of forest land for mining projects in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Among the key approvals is Tata Steel’s Gandhalpada iron ore block in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, where 216.875 hectares of forest land have received Stage-I clearance. The approval is expected to support the company’s long-term raw material security and strengthen its target of achieving 40 million tonnes of production capacity by 2030.
Gandhalpada Project Seen as Strategic for Tata Steel
The ministry’s empowered committee approved Tata Steel’s proposal while directing the Odisha Government to ensure that no mining activity or land use change is undertaken before obtaining all mandatory clearances under the Forest Conservation Act. The Gandhalpada block is considered a strategic asset for the company as it is expected to meet its iron ore requirements over the long term and support future capacity expansion.
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Two Mining Projects Also Secured Approval
The committee also granted Stage-I forest clearance to Rungta Sons Ltd.’s Alaknanda coal mining project in Angul district of Odisha. The project involves the diversion of 754.039 hectares of forest land. According to industry estimates, the project could require the felling of nearly 3.3 lakh trees, making it one of the larger forest diversion proposals in the region.
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Strict Compliance Conditions Attached to Clearances
In Chhattisgarh, the committee approved diversion of 983.44 hectares of forest land for two major coal projects. These include 621.331 hectares for Ambuja Cement Ltd.’s Puruga underground coal block in Raigarh district and 362.109 hectares for South Eastern Coalfields Ltd.’s (SECL) Pelma opencast mine. The committee directed Ambuja Cement to minimise surface subsidence, deposit all applicable statutory charges and undertake compulsory compensatory afforestation before project execution. All approved projects will have to comply with environmental and forest regulations before mining operations can commence.
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