India relaxes guidelines for atomic mineral mining in coastal regions CRZ-1

16 October  2017

Mint reported that citing “public interest”, the India’s environment ministry has relaxed guidelines for mining of critical atomic minerals like uranium in fragile coastal regions, even if such minerals are found elsewhere. Experts said the decision signalled a significant shift in government policy and opened up fragile coastal areas to mining, potentially increasing the vulnerability of fast-eroding coastal stretches of the country.

The decision was taken by Harsh Vardhan-led ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) and notified on 6 October. The step, involving an amendment to the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 2011, was taken without public notice as the government said it was a matter of “public interest”.

Ms Kanchi Kohli, legal research director at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR)-Namati Environmental Justice Programme, said “The key amendment allows for mining of atomic minerals like uranium or titanium in CRZ areas even if they are found outside CRZ areas. This is a big shift from the earlier practice. Earlier, mining of rare minerals could be carried out with environment ministry’s permission only if they are not found anywhere else. It also opens up inter-tidal areas of CRZ-1 for manual extraction, which increases the vulnerability of the fast-eroding coastal stretches. Given the widespread implications for all of CRZ, it was important that this notification be debated on public interest, rather than introducing without any feedback in the name of public interest.”

CRZ-1 is the most sensitive coastal zone and there are strict norms on activities allowed in this zone.

Source : Livemint