Govt Not To Allow Exploitation Of Dense Woods

Maneka Gandhi (BJP) alleged during Question Hour that the government had cut down one lakh hectare of forests for mining and 30,000 hectare of this was allowed by former environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh.

Admitting that such reports have come, environment and forest minister Jayanthi Natarajan told the House that between 2007 and 2011, 107 coal mining projects were approved. Some of the figures being quoted were, however, the combined figures of Stage-I (prior to 2007) and II, she said.

"Go and No-go areas were earmarked by my predecessor. Extremely dense forests are not being diverted... Government is completely committed," she said. Read the full report here.

Source: Economic Times, New Delhi.