If the report on illegal mining by CEC of the SC was not bad enough, the one by the WGEEP seeks to bring mining to a grinding halt in most parts of the fragile hotspot.
For the mining lobby, it gets only worse. But that’s good news for conservation.
If the report on illegal mining by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court was not bad enough, the one by the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) seeks to bring mining to a grinding halt in most parts of the fragile hotspot.
The panel, which submitted its report to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) on August 31, 2011, has called for a blanket ban on mining in the most ecologically sensitive area of the Western Ghats, which it has designated as ecologically sensitive zone 1 (ESZ1), besides current protected areas, i.e., national parks and wildlife sanctuaries as per current supreme court orders and the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
All environmental clearances for mines in these areas should have an additional conditionality requiring for 25% reduction in mining every year till 2016, when mining would have to be to be stopped in ESZ1. In all, 83 talukas across six states out of the 134 that fall in the Western Ghats have been designated as ESZ1. Fourteen have been assigned to ESZ2, and 37 to ESZ3. In ESZ2 and ESZ3, current mining may be allowed but can be no new mining projects. The WGEEP has called for mining to be subject to strong environmental and social controls as well. The ESZs would have to be declared by the MoEF as per Environment Protection Act norms.
In other areas of the Western Ghats, mining may be allowed but subject to the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) and other clearances with strong environmental and social controls in place. For mining within the Western Ghats, cumulative environmental impact assessments (EIAs) must be made mandatory rather than entertaining EIAs for individual leases in the same areas.
The MoEF had held back the WGEEP report for reasons it had not earlier disclosed. Earlier this month, the Central Information Commissioner (CIC) asking the ministry to “disclose” the document by May 5. The official line of the ministry so far had been that the “scientific or economic interests of the State” would be affected by “disclosure” (of the report) at this stage. This was the stand taken by the ministry while responding to a RTI application filed by Kerala-based activist G Krishnan.
Among other things, the panel had been mandated to assess the current status of ecology of the Western Ghats region, and make recommendations for its conservation, protection and rejuvenation after a comprehensive consultation process involving the people and governments of all the concerned States. The WGEEP, headed by ecologist Prof Madhav Gadgil, did that in a 500+ page report. The report was subsequently wrapped up in red tape and the government refrained from commenting on it.
The WGEEP report had included guidelines that covered everything from mining and tourism to forest rights and hydel projects. However, what was said to have got the goat of the government was the panel’s recommendations about mining.
The 14-member panel observed illegal mining in many parts of the Western Ghats, both in terms of no clearances obtained, fraudulent EIAs and/or flouting of conditions of clearances. An emerging view the panel members found was that the agent (government) did not fully reflect the interest of the principal (the people). It remarked in the report, “The view is also emerging that there exists government collusion with industry (Goa, Sindudurg, Ratnagiri, Bellary in Western Ghat states). This state of affairs has led to enormous disaffection in the states regarding mining activity. The strongest evidence of this disaffection and anger is in the state of Goa.”
The team also looked at groundwater issues. For mines currently operating below the water table, the panel wanted it to be made be mandatory for the company to have plans in place for ground water management and use that will not affect local wells and water supply. Without water mapping, no mining should be allowed to commence.
It also called for planning for regeneration of agriculture in mining areas, incentivising improved environmental behaviour in the mineral sector, improving health in mining regions.
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