Storm over diamond mining in Panna belt

-

The Asian Age

Storm over diamond mining in Panna belt

Nov 03, 2010 - LALIT SHASTRI |

Environmentalists and conservationists are raising serious objections about the Madhya Pradesh government giving full support to global diamond giant Rio Tinto’s Indian subsidiary planning commercial mining of diamonds in an eco-sensitive zone close to the Panna tiger reserve.

Tiger expert Valmik Thapar, asked about Rio Tinto’s Bunder diamond project in Chhatarpur district, a few kilometers from the Panna reserve’s western border, said: “It’s an example of a completely dysfunctional system of government from top to bottom.” He said that if Panna were to recover (the loss of all its tigers), it would need at least another 10 years of complete protection of surrounding forests and (their) connecting corridors. Asked about Rio Tinto’s plan to start commercial diamond mining in an area which is also the watershed for the Panna reserve and the Shyamri river, considered one of the cleanest in the country, Mr Thapar said the water regime was also essential for life and no water resource should be negated by those bent on commercial exploitation of mineral resources in forest areas.
Almost 99 per cent of the Bunder diamondiferous block is inside a forest which is the northernmost tip of the best corridor of teak forests south of the Gangetic plain. “It is an established law that mining is non-forestry activity — if pitting is involved, prospecting is also mining activity,” a senior state forest officer said, adding that a probe was needed to determine on what grounds clearance to prospect in this area was given in the first place.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Caste Conundrum: Let the Caste Census go Beyond Hindus

-
Image
  Lalit Shastri Lalit Shastri The demand for a caste-based census of the Hindu population in India has garnered significant attention and debate. This move by the Congress party and its allies has raised a crucial question: why restrict the caste census to Hindu communities alone? The intricate web of caste divisions extends beyond Hinduism, permeating other religions in the subcontinent as well. Therefore, it is imperative to contemplate a comprehensive caste census that encompasses all religious groups, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and also atheists. This article delves into the history and complexity of the caste system in South Asia more particularly in India, its presence in various religious communities, and why a holistic approach to the caste census is necessary. The Pervasive Caste System  To understand the need for an inclusive caste census, one must recognize that the caste system is deeply entrenched in the social fabric of the Asian sub-contin
Read more

India's Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 and Section 45 of PMLA: A Critical Analysis

-
  Lalit Shastri   The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) stands as a law against financial malfeasance, yet its provisions, notably the definitions under Section 2 (u), Section 2 (y), Section 3 relating to Scheduled Offence like misuse of funds attracting Section 447 of the Companies Act, 2013 and Section 45 of PMLA , have stirred a maelstrom of debate regarding the delicate balance between justice and security.  Section 447, which even provides for a seven year jail term, can be imposed and prosecution proceedings initiated against someone who may not even be guilty merely on the subjective, biased or vindictive Inspection Report prepared by the Inspecting Officer of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.  The matter could be worst confounded if the proceedings under the Companies Act, 2013 are vitiated at the behest of vested interests to distort the findings and conclusion in the Inspection Report. Once a court takes cognizance of prosecution complaint under Secti
Read more

A Call for Peace, Inclusion, and Sustainability on my Birthday

-
Image
Lalit Shastri As a global society, we must strive for peaceful coexistence and embrace the spirit of inclusivity. Our shared future depends on our collective responsibility to protect the environment, preserve wildlife, and safeguard the delicate balance of our ecosystems, including our rivers and forests. It is time we shun violence, extremism, and division in all its forms, fostering unity over discord. We envision a socio-economic order where equity, transparency, and accountability reign, ensuring that skill and merit are valued over privilege, exploitation and denial of equal opportunity to all due to the quota or reservation system. Also, corruption has no place in a society where every individual is dedicated to the common good, working for the advancement of humanity and securing a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.  Together, we can build a world where compassion, justice with fairness, and progress guide our actions—creating a legacy that honors both t
Read more