The Coal Ministry has asked states to give fresh proposals to the Environment Ministry for projects stuck in no-go areas. This would help redeem investment amounting to Rs 40,000 crore in key infrastructure projects in power, cement and steel sectors.
These projects are in deadlock after the environment ministry had announced the classification over a year ago. This had barred mining activities in major coal-bearing areas and blocked the development of 203 coal blocks with reserves of a whopping 660 million tonne (mt). Blocks allotted to companies, including NTPC, Coal India, Hindalco, Essar Power and Adani, fell under the no-go zones.
In September, a 12-member group of ministers (GoM), heaÂded by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had recommended doing away with the no-go policy, initially mooted to protect dense forest areas from the ill-effects of mining. The recommendation was based on a detailed report by Planning Commission member B K Chaturvedi. The Chaturvedi Committee had vehemently opposed the no-go policy, arguing the regeÂneration of forests after mining activities could be much more in the long run, compared to what might have been be temporarily lost.
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