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The Environment Ministry is likely to respond to the concerns raised by various stakeholders on issues relating to coal mining, while protecting the forest cover by March 15.
This emerged after the first meeting of a ministerial panel headed by the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, who asked the Environment Minister, Mr Jairam Ramesh, to address the concerns of coal, steel and power ministries.
The panel is set up at the behest of the Coal Ministry, which is demanding more coal bearing areas for enhancing output. It will seek to sort out issues relating to the environmental restrictions on coal mining in restricted forest areas.
“I will be responding to the concerns between March 10 and 15. I have assured them that we will take a positive approach,” Mr Ramesh said. He added that the panel also felt there was a need to stop the rapid degradation of forests.
Coal fields classification
The Environment Ministry's classification of nine major coal fields into ‘Go' and ‘No Go' areas depending on the forest cover is seen impacting the coal output resulting in a widening demand-gap supply.
“We presented our point of view and are hopeful that 90 per cent of the problems will be resolved by March 31,” said Mr Sriprakash Jaiswal, Minister for Coal. Reiterating the demand for removal of ‘No Go' areas, Mr Jaiswal also discussed the issue of rising imports at the meeting, which remained inconclusive. The Panel is expected to meet again in March first week.
Besides, Mr Jaiswal, the Power Minister, Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde, the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Mr C.P. Joshi, and the Steel Minister, Mr Beni Prasad Verma, presented their views before the panel.
Replying to a query, Mr Ramesh said there will not be any change in the way the Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) is measured.
“As of now, the CEPI notification will remain up to March 31, 2011. We have already lifted moratorium in 13 critically polluted areas, while teams from the Central Pollution Control Board are assessing 25 more clusters. We are awaiting reports for another five clusters,” Mr Ramesh said.
In January last year, the Environment Ministry had imposed a moratorium on environmental clearance for development projects in 43 critically polluted industrial clusters.
This was done to stimulate environmental remediation and mitigation activities by the industry and respective State Governments.
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