Times of India, The, Jul 8, 2009 | by Pinjarkar, Vijay
NAGPUR: Bandu Dhotre, founder president of Eco-Pro, a group working for conservation of environment & forests, has decided to launch fast unto death' to oppose proposed coal mining activity by Adani Power Limited (APL) in Lohara core zone near Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). The fast will be launched from July 20 in front of Chandrapur district collectorate.
This is for the second time that Dhotre will be launching fast. Earlier, he was on satyagraha stir during the winter session in Nagpur to oppose cluster of mining activities around Tadoba. The agitation was withdrawn after forest minister Babanrao Pachpute had promised to come out with a justified solution to the issue. On Tuesday, Dhotre said Pachpute, instead of rejecting the Adani mines proposal outright, is determined to clear it and is allegedly mounting pressure on forest officials to do the needful. "If the proposal is cleared, it will lead to destruction of over 13.50 lakh trees in 1750 hectare forest area, which acts as a corridor for wildlife, specially tigers," Dhotre cautioned. Dhotre, who was accompanied by social worker Umesh Choube and his lawyer Neeraj Khandewale, threw light on all the aspects right from man-animal conflict, pollution, geological threats, forests and wildlife. He said, the study group constituted by Pachpute on Adani mines is an eyewash as it has been formed to mitigate the damage but not to oppose the mines around TATR. "I will not withdraw my fast untill permission to Adani and other mines proposed to come up near Tadoba is not cancelled. During winter session, Pachpute misled me. This time I'm not going to budge from my stand," Dhotre told TOI. The allotted mines in Lohara (east) and Lohara (west) had already been rejected earlier to ACC and Nippon by the government in 1999. Dhotre got a shot in arm after Choube also joined his stir against Adani mines. His lawyer Khandewale said, "We are planning to move contempt plea against forest officials who are rushing to clear the Adani proposal. The high court has suo motu taken cognizance of Dhotre's petition against Adani mines. The matter is subjudice and hence officials should not move the proposal ahead. Forest conservation and mining cannot go hand-in-hand."
NAGPUR: Bandu Dhotre, founder president of Eco-Pro, a group working for conservation of environment & forests, has decided to launch fast unto death' to oppose proposed coal mining activity by Adani Power Limited (APL) in Lohara core zone near Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR). The fast will be launched from July 20 in front of Chandrapur district collectorate.
This is for the second time that Dhotre will be launching fast. Earlier, he was on satyagraha stir during the winter session in Nagpur to oppose cluster of mining activities around Tadoba. The agitation was withdrawn after forest minister Babanrao Pachpute had promised to come out with a justified solution to the issue. On Tuesday, Dhotre said Pachpute, instead of rejecting the Adani mines proposal outright, is determined to clear it and is allegedly mounting pressure on forest officials to do the needful. "If the proposal is cleared, it will lead to destruction of over 13.50 lakh trees in 1750 hectare forest area, which acts as a corridor for wildlife, specially tigers," Dhotre cautioned. Dhotre, who was accompanied by social worker Umesh Choube and his lawyer Neeraj Khandewale, threw light on all the aspects right from man-animal conflict, pollution, geological threats, forests and wildlife. He said, the study group constituted by Pachpute on Adani mines is an eyewash as it has been formed to mitigate the damage but not to oppose the mines around TATR. "I will not withdraw my fast untill permission to Adani and other mines proposed to come up near Tadoba is not cancelled. During winter session, Pachpute misled me. This time I'm not going to budge from my stand," Dhotre told TOI. The allotted mines in Lohara (east) and Lohara (west) had already been rejected earlier to ACC and Nippon by the government in 1999. Dhotre got a shot in arm after Choube also joined his stir against Adani mines. His lawyer Khandewale said, "We are planning to move contempt plea against forest officials who are rushing to clear the Adani proposal. The high court has suo motu taken cognizance of Dhotre's petition against Adani mines. The matter is subjudice and hence officials should not move the proposal ahead. Forest conservation and mining cannot go hand-in-hand."
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