Stamping out coal may spark renewable fire

What is a harsh verdict for coal miners and power generators could well be a reason for cheer for renewable energy companies. With the Supreme Court cancelling the allocation of 214 coal blocks on Wednesday, domestic coal is likely to become more expensive and could give the much needed impetus for the Government to invest in alternative sources, say environmentalists.

“This will definitely have an impact (on the energy policy). With domestic coal becoming more expensive, thermal will come at par with renewables,” says Aruna Kumarankandath, Programme Officer (renewable energy), Centre for Science and Environment.

“The priority is to get power as the demand for power in India is very high as many areas are yet to be electrified. And that should come from the cheapest source.”

Further, this landmark judgement would herald a change in the way developmental activities are undertaken, say rights activists.

“The Government has a stark choice —whether to develop a pro-people, pro-green economic model, or stick with corrupt, expensive, dirty energy,” says Vinuta Gopal, Climate and Energy campaigner of Greenpeace India. The judgement is a “signal to the Government and industry that the laws of the land cannot be circumvented and disregarded”.

The way the previous UPA Government had pushed through the stage II forest clearance for the Mahan coal block in Madhya Pradesh, one of the blocks that stand cancelled now, had raised many eyebrows.

Local residents have been protesting against the mine, claiming increase in pollution and severe environmental degradation that was ignored in the Environment Impact Assessment reports.

In Mahan, local battle against the mine were being fought on multiple fronts — environmental concerns, legality of the allocation (following the revelation of coal allocation scam), sanctity of forest rights, and allegations of forged signatures on gram sabha resolution showing consent.

“We don’t want any mines here. We do not need this ‘development’. We earn our livelihood from the forest, the fruit-bearing trees, we get firewood, clean sources of water and we have enough electricity to do our work. We have enough employment. We don’t need more,” Kripanath Yadav, a resident of Amiliya village in Mahan, told Business Line .

However, while this judgement comes as a relief for environmentalists and human rights activists, recent moves by the Government, which hint at dilution of tribal rights in favour of the developmental agenda, is also a cause for concern.

“The NDA Government has given enough clues about speedy re-allocations and easing of environment norms. The Government must not take dangerous short cuts to achieve a double digit growth figure at the cost of India’s rich biodiversity and people’s rights,” Greenpeace India said in a statement.

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