Ramesh, Jaiswal Shake Hands On Coal-Mining Policy

After a joint exercise with Coal ministry, Ramesh in 2010 had listed about 35 % of forest area in 17 coal mining zones as no go for mining, resulting in protest by Jaiswal. The Coal ministry had also circulated a Cabinet note seeking to reduce No Go areas to just 10 % of the forestland.

In what is being seen as a climbdown, Ramesh has agreed to allow coal mining in no go areas in Eastern Coal Fields and in Mahanadhi area of Orissa, following a direction from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week. Read the full report here.

Source: Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times, New Delhi.