BHUBANESWAR: Even as opposition to mining projects continues to swell in different pockets of the State, Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has accorded environment clearances (ECs) to 31 such projects in last two years.

While 16 projects were given environment clearances from the Centre in 2006, its preceding year witnessed 15 projects getting nod of the Ministry. The MoEF began the year by granting clearance to Nuasahi Chromite mine of Indian Metal and Ferro Alloys Limited (IMFA).

Interestingly, in nine years between 1995 and 2004, only seven mining projects were given environment clearances by the Ministry.

As per the MoEF information, four clearances came in 2004, one in 2003 and two in 2002.

Of 38 environmental clearances granted between 1995 and 2006, Tata Steel alone managed to secure five clearances, three for manganese ore and two for iron ore mining.

SPCB report

As of now 30 other mining project proposals are pending with the MoEF.

Of which ECs were applied for 28 mining projects by different companies alone in 2006 and two in 2005. Clearances were expected in near future.

The rush of seeking ECs has come at a time when State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) is advocating for regional impact assessment. In its recently published `State of Environment Report' the SPCB had called for periodical impact assessment in five regions, where the situation was "alarming".

The five zones are Keonjhar-Sundargarh, Angul-Talcher, Sambalpur-Jharsuguda, Jajpur-Dhenkanal and Keonjhar and Koraput-Rayagada and Kalahandi.

However, if one goes through the information sheet, maximum ECs were either cleared or likely to be cleared in the Keonjhar-Sundargarh zone.

As of now Orissa has total 605 mining leases were held by different individuals and companies in the State. Of these 50 per cent leases were expired by 2006.

However, after 2000 the State witnessed unexpected flow of investment proposals from mineral-based industries. The State Government has so far signed memoranda of understanding for 45 steel projects, 13 power and three alumina refinery. With the advent of these industries, the queue before the MoEF was likely to be longer in coming days.

Similarly, all 15 industrial projects secured environment clearance in last three years from 2004 to 2006. An equal number of industrial projects are awaiting environment clearance from the centre.

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