Context
The Marwatola VII open-cast coal block in Madhya Pradesh is pending clearance despite being located just 53 metres from the vital Bandhavgarh-Achanakmar tiger corridor.
Key Facts
- Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (MP) and Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary (Chhattisgarh) are connected by a critical 3-km-wide tiger corridor essential for genetic exchange
- Central Indian Tiger Meta-population comprises reserves: Kanha, Panna, Pench, Sanjay Dubri
- Open-cast mining will require clearing over 1.5 lakh trees
- Fragments the tiger meta-population, disrupts local hydrology, and destroys minor forest produce (tendu, mahua) vital for tribal livelihoods
Why Open-Cast Over Underground
- Corporate preference due to higher recovery rates
- Policy push to maximise domestic coal extraction and curb imports
Solutions Proposed
- Uphold the Supreme Court directive banning mining within 1-km radius of tiger habitats
- Strictly enforce “No-Go” forest classification
- If extraction is strategically unavoidable, mandate restricted underground mining only to protect surface ecology and wildlife movement
UPSC Angle
- GS3: Environment, biodiversity, coal vs conservation
- GS2: Environmental governance, Supreme Court directives
Sources: Down to Earth, CSE