MoEF nod unlikely for mining at Chakkittappara.

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests ( MoEF) is unlikely to give its nod to Hospet-based MSPL Limited, the flagship company of the Baldota Group, which has applied for mining in 406.45 hectares in the ecologically sensitive region at Alampara village at Chakkittappara grama panchayat in Kozhikode district.

Official sources said the proposed mining area is part of the Peruvannamuzhi reserve forest, which shares boundary with the Malabar Wildlife Reserve. A verdict of the Supreme Court in the Goa Foundation versus Union of India case clearly mentions about restricting mining activities near any protected forest area.

Besides, the proposed mining site is also the catchment site of the Peruvannamuzhi reservoir, which will provide drinking water to Kozhikode city and 13 other grama panchayats in the district under the multi-crore Japan International Cooperation Agency-assisted project, they said.

The entire mining lease area is categorised as forestland, which was allotted to the Plantation Corporation of Kerala during 1971-72 for rubber plantation.

The company plans to develop the site as fully mechanised mine for the production of iron ore at five million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and set up mineral beneficiation plant within this mining lease having a rated capacity of 1.8 MTPA.


THE HINDU