Aaditya Thackeray opposes mining near Tadabo Andhari Tiger Reserve

State environment minister Aaditya Thackeray has opposed the Centre’s proposal to conduct an auction for mining at a site near Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR)

State environment minister Aaditya Thackeray has opposed the Centre’s proposal to conduct an auction for mining at a site near Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra.

HT Image

Thackeray has written to union environment minister Prakash Javadekar, urging him to withdraw the proposal, as it will harm the tiger reserve.

Thackeray on Monday said this auction was cancelled twice before in 1999 and 2001. “When we are aware that such a move will spell disaster in the Tadoba and Andhari Tiger Reserve, what is the point in spending our time and resources on such a project?” he said.

Bander coal block, located close to TATR in Chandrapur district, is one of the 41 mining sites in the country, for which the Centre has invited bids for an auction.

He said that 10 years ago, the then union environment minister, Jairam Ramesh, had ordered a survey and the results concluded that the site was not suitable for mining. Thackeray has requested Javadekar for survey of the proposed site again.

Both Aaditya and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray are well-known wildlife enthusiasts. The duo had also opposed cutting of trees in Mumbai’s Aarey Colony for Metro-3 project.

Environmentalists have supported Thackeray’s stance. “We are only encroaching on the space of the wildlife and increasing the man-animal conflict,” said Debi Goenka, an environmentalist. However, he said that being in the government, Thackeray has the power to derail the project.

“The state government needs to emphasise that they will not give any approvals required for the project and this itself will dissuade the bidders from entering the project,” he added.

Another environmentalist Stalin Dayanand said mining is a highly polluting industry which destroys the wildlife. “This will be a disruptive move, as studies point out that mining causes irreparable damage to forests. The wildlife is also is threatened considerably,” said Dayanand.