KOLHAPUR | Dec 03, 2015: The controversial mining activity at Yelwan Jugai village in Shahuwadi tehsil of Kolhapur districtis is obstructing the wildlife corridor, especially of Indian Gaur, sambhar and leopards, said experts
Activists said the ongoing activity is not only disturbing the corridors but also creating loud noise, which is affecting the eco-system of nearby wildlife shelters. They have also expressed fear of the activities affecting the proposed Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, which is not too far.
When the TOI visited the spot on Tuesday, there were several earth-movers in action. The compan, Warna Minerals India Pvt Ltd, has also deployed a number of dumpers that are carrying the bauxite ore from the plateau through the base, which is located near the Pawankhind spot. The spot with its historical legacy is a famous tourist attraction in the region.
Madhukar Bachulkar, chairman of Nisargmitra organisation working for environmental issues said, "Six months ago, I had raised objections with the district collector in our routine meeting on environment issues. It is called composite committee, where other environmental activists and officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board were also present. However, hardly any action has been taken against the company.
The committee has come into existence around three years ago, when the activists had taken up the issues of the mining activities at Shahuwadi and its impact on the forest areas, violation of various norms and the suspicious ignorance of the government officials towards the issues.
Bachulkar said the forest officials are generally little concerned about mining issues and its impact on the wildlife. "The mining activity, though directly not involved in cutting the trees at times, is a noisy business and it disturbs the wildlife as well as biodiversity in the locality. The loud noise of digging and transportation of dug up material continue for years. The wild animals are not used to such noise around them; hence they shift to other locations. It results in a forceful shifting towards human habitats."
In most of the cases, the plateau is covered with grass. Such grasslands provide food for herbivorous animals like Indian Gaur and sambhar.
Dhananjay Joshi, a nature lover who has participated in several surveys of the forest department said, "I have explored the region several times and have found scats of leopards and tigers near the area. The area shares its boundary with Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, which ends near Amba ghat. It means the national animal of the country has come out of the STR in search of water and food, which is now being disturbed by the mining activity."
The company has sought interim permission from the Bombay high court for mining on the plateau.
When contacted, the company officials said the firm has obtained all permissions legally. "The land currently belongs to the state revenue department, because the 7/12 extract of the land bears the name of the revenue department. The company registered its lease deed in 2003... The lease document also shows that the land is a non-forest area. As per our information, the land has been in the possession of the revenue department for more than 40 years.
The officials also alleged that the forest officials are now waking up and have started claiming that the land belongs to them.
Abhay Bhoge, Kolhapur district mining officer said, "The company took all legal permissions a few years ago and has started mining activity in June this year. It has permission for mining 4.5 lakh tonne bauxite ore this year. As a part of the royalty, the company has paid Rs 2.05 crore to the revenue department. We have also issued transit passes for the company for transporting the bauxite ore from the mining site to its depot at the base."
The forest department has claimed that as per the Forest Conservation Act 1980 and the Bombay Government Gazette dated 12/11/1953, the 267 hectares land in Shahuwadi is notified as reserved forest; hence it cannot be used for non-forest activities.
Officials also pointed out that the notification under section 4 of the India forest Act 1927 published in the Bombay Government Gazettee dated 12/11/1953, has been declared to be proposed to constitute reserve forest. Once the notification has been published, the provisions of India Forest Act 1927 and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 are applicable to the same property, even though the final notification under section 20 of the India Forest Act, 1927 is not published.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)