HimVani
Shimla (Jan 07) Public Sector Iron ore miner, National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has been reported to have got conditional approval from Union Minister of Environment and Forest to set up Rs 274 Crore limestone project in Arki area of Solan district in Himachal Pradesh.
In a communication sent to MNDC and state government, MOE&F said that clearance sought by state government in ambiance with NMDC to allow diversion of agricultural land, necessary forest clearances under the Forest Act and rehabilitation measures for the project-affected people among others was accorded environmental clearance with certain preconditions to come up with 3 million tonnes capacity Arki Limestone Mining Project of NMDC.
The project was envisaged under the stewardship of Union Steal Minister Virbhadra Singh as lime stones in Arki hills was reported to be of high quality which is best to manufacture steel.
NMDC is working on the plan to set up semi-mechanized open cast mining project on 232.6 hectare area with an estimated capital cost of Rs 274.26 crore investments which include proposed cost for environmental mitigation measures is Rs 12.09 crore.
The Ministry has reportedly allotted the clearance imposing some conditions on the firm to see that the affected people were properly rehabilitated and a final mine closure plan with details of corpus fund be submitted to it.
The clearance especially emphasized on the fact that land oustees and land losers or affected people should be compensated and rehabilitated as per the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2007.
Laying preconditions to withdraw the clearance on non-compliance or failing to comply with any of the conditions.
The mining plan for the proposed project had been approved in 1991 and after resuming the charge of Union Steel Ministry by Virbhadra Singh the step on it was accelerated as unexploited mine being reported have deposits of about 100 million tonnes of high grade limestone.
