Centre rejects mining proposal in Tumakaru reserve forests

The regional workplace of the Ministry of Atmosphere, Forest and Local weather Change (MoEF&CC), Bengaluru, has rejected a proposal for diversion of 48.2 ha of forestland for a mining challenge in Tumakuru district.

This follows a website inspection on September 23 and 25, by S. Senthil Kumar, Deputy Director-Normal of Forests, Central Regional Workplace, Bengaluru.

In reserve forest

The inspection pertained to a proposal in search of clearance for the Sarangapani Iron and Manganese Ore Mine Venture. The mining challenge is in Thirtharamapura Reserve Forest and is unfold throughout Gollarahalli, Hosahalli, Kodihalli, Tonalapura, and Lakmenahalli villages in Chikkanayakanahalli taluk of Tumakuru district.

The inspection report famous ambiguities within the authorized standing of the forest land, invalid environmental clearances, and absence of a clearance from the Nationwide Board for Wildlife. The rejection additionally stems from the truth that business mining is a prohibited exercise inside the deemed Eco-Delicate Zone of Bukkapatna WLS.

The location inspection adopted a grievance by Giridhar Kulkarni, a wildlife conservationist who had said that the challenge was ecologically unsound and would destroy wildlife habitat aside from disrupting a crucial elephant migratory route. He additionally underlined the hydrological dangers and stated that the panorama was the one watershed for a number of drought-prone villages and would have an effect on each wildlife and native livelihoods.

Drought inclined

The report famous that Chikkanayakanahalli taluk, the place the positioning lies, is drought inclined, and the Thirtharampura Reserve Forest and Janneru Forest Block function important watersheds and any destruction or degradation would worsen the area’s current water shortage.

The forest space has undergone pure ecological restoration since mining ceased in 1999, in accordance with the inspection report which drew from the wildlife surveys (Tumkur Forest Division Working Plan & website inspections) which recorded species together with sloth bear, leopard, hyena, Indian wolf, jackal, wild boar, four-horned antelope, and jungle cat, with oblique proof noticed throughout inspections.

It additionally famous that human–wildlife battle data (2015–16 to 2025–26) indicated that there have been over 380 incidents and mining would additional intensify conflicts.

The report said that along with the Sarangapani proposal, 18 different mining leases inside the Thirtharampura Reserve Forest and Janneru Forest Block (previously ML No. 1234, 989.19 ha) are pending forest clearance and approval of the mining challenge can have disastrous results on the ecology of the realm and the socio-economy of the villages located in these areas.

Welcome transfer

Reacting to the developments, Mr. Kulkarni stated the choice of the MoEF & CC is welcome because it has rigorously reviewed the social, ecological, and authorized issues earlier than recommending rejection of the Sarangapani mining proposal.

“When our forests and wildlife habitats are beneath super stress from improvement initiatives — and at a time when most proposals are being cleared — such choices are extraordinarily uncommon within the current situation,” he added.