The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Proposal to use forest land for iron ore project

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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Proposal to use forest land for iron ore project

P.Oppili

Land identified in Kanjamalai Reserve Forest of the Salem Forest Division

CHENNAI: The State Forest Department has sent a proposal to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for clearing a natural forest to set up an iron ore mining project in Salem.

A letter from the State Environment and Forest Secretary stated that a proposal under the Section 2 of Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 had been mooted for diversion of forest land over an extent of 638 ha in the Kanjamalai Reserve Forest of the Salem Forest Division under the Shervoroys (South) Range in Salem district for an iron ore project by the Tamil Nadu Iron Ore Mining Corporation Limited (TIMCO).

The District Forest Officer, Salem, had inspected the proposed area and identified the proposed mining area to an extent of 638 ha.

The user agency had identified an area of 1,928.440 ha in Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Tirunelveli districts from which compensatory afforestation land of 1,276 ha could be taken away by the Forest Department. The TIMCO submitted a proposal in which the company had agreed to pay the amount for net present value to be fixed by the Forest Department; give compensatory afforestation land as required by the Forest department; pay the amount fixed for the exploitation of trees likely to be felled; and the lease rent amount to be fixed by the department.

Net value

The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Tamil Nadu, stated in the proposal that the net present value to be collected from TIMCO had been arrived at Rs.44.59 crore, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Environment and Forest Department dated 13.09.2006.

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