SAVE TADOBAA presentation to show the impact of Lohara coal mine on Chandrapur and TATR

By Ekjut- An Organization to stop the hollow claims of development at the cost of Forests

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Chandrapur• Endowed with rich flora and fauna, water

resources and mineral wealth, Chandrapur has been famous since ancient times as the capital of Gond dynasty.

• Anandavan at Warora is famous worldwide for the noble service rendered by social worker Baba Amte whose ashram rehabilitates leprosy patients.

• Chandrapur has India's largest thermal power plant, many coal mines, sponge iron units, cement and paper factories, huge lime stone deposits, bauxite, iron, and chromite mines are the sources of wealth for the district.

• Chandrapur is proud to have Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Project which is a major tourist attraction.

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Pollution• The mineral based industrial development and rapid

urbanization in this district has resulted in pollution and environmental degradation and its effects are being felt on a wide scale.

• Chandrapur is the most polluted city in India due to heavy industrial and mining activity.

• Coal Mines, Cement & Lime factories, Stone mine, Paper, Steel, Rice industry, Thermal Power station & Automobiles are the major pollutants.

• There are 28 working mines in the district, wastewater from these mine contaminates waters of rivers, lakes and streams. It is also reported that mining disturbs the ground water balance.

• The Atmospheric Brown Cloud has been confirmed on Chandrapur by NASA.

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Pollution by Coal Mines• Air pollution in coalmines is mainly due to the

fugitive emission of particulate matter and gases, including Methane, Sulphur dioxide and Oxides of Nitrogen.

• The main sources of noise pollution are blasting, movement of heavy earth-moving machinery, drilling and coal-handling equipment.

• The major source of water pollution is the waste water from coalmines which is the carry-over of the suspended solids in the drainage system of the mine drains. In addition, waste-water from the coal preparation plant and mine water are the other sources of water pollution.

• Around 25 tonnes of overburden is generated for every ton of coal production altering the landscape and resulting in floods.

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Effects of Pollution on Humans• Polluted water causes serious problems to human

life, like typhoid, intestinal parasites, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach aches. Many toxins in polluted water may lead to cancer.

• The annual average of RSPM of the city, which was 73 micrograms per cubic metre a few years ago, has now touched over 290 micrograms per cubic, which contributed a rise in health problems, mainly respiratory problems.

• According to doctors, what is most disturbing is the increasing evidence of a link between ultra fine particle pollution and heart disease, asthma & chronic lung diseases.

RSPM: RESPIRABLE SUSPENDED PARTICULATE MATTER

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Pollution affects adults and children differently• Children spend more time outdoors and

are exposed to pollution in daytime when the RSPM level is high.

• engaged in vigorous activity like running and hence have a higher breathing rate.

• Breathe through mouth also.• Have narrower airways and impairment of

the lung's ability to defend itself

• The Effects Are:- increased acute respiratory diseases.- lowered lung function in children.- increased sickness rates.- increases in mortality.- increase in allergic skin reactions.

DON’T LET THIS BECOME YOUR

CHILDREN’S FUTURE

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Not only humans but destruction of forest and wildlife habitat for Lohara coal mine will expose the tigers and other wildlife animals to pollution.

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Lohara reserve forest will be cut for coal mine, destroying habitat of wild animals forcing them to shift towards human settlements, which will increase man-animal conflicts.

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Our Concerns• Forest Policy 2008 – targets increase in forest cover up to

33%, how does the state plan to achieve it?• 50% of the total forest cover of Mah. Falls in Chandrapur and

Gadchiroli dist. And why is the same being targeted?• The last surviving corridor from TATR to Southern India will be

completely destroyed which is used by wild animals for local and seasonal migration/movement. This corridor also connects to the forest of Gadchiroli that contained about 100 Tigers two decades ago by saving corridor we can hope to achieve the same count of tigers which is negligible today.

• How do you justify the destruction and consequences thereafter?

• With the existing forest cover and human pressure the man animal conflict is order of the day, has the Govt. assessed the consequences after the commencement of the mining activities?

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Our Concerns

• Why the existing power plants in Mah. are not performing to their full capacity?

• If the mining companies operate efficiently the coal production it would be sufficient to cater the existing need.

• Why non conventional energy resources that are eco-friendly are not being tapped to meet the SO CALLED power deficit?

• Why are the coal blocks in non-forest land being exploited?• Compensatory afforestation and afforestation at exhausted

mine sites are practically non existent, why has not the concerned dept. has not taken cognizance of the same?

• The Air, Water & Sound pollution levels in and around Chandrapur have already reached the epitome, how dose the state Govt. justify additional mining lease(s) in the same area compromising the health of the citizens & the young generation in particular?

• Will you be able to recreate the quality of forests destroyed due to mining in compensatory afforestation?

• Why the extended buffer zone and eco-sensitive zone of TATR hasn't been declared yet?

• Chandrapur is already helping in power generation for the entire state, by generating power and supply of coal to other power stations since last 20yrs which clearly proves that the citizens are not against the power generation or development but this particular case will destroy the last remaining source of clean and healthy air to Chandrapur.

• The effect of entire pollution in Chandrapur is controlled and suppressed by naturally available forest cover and not by rules set by MPCB which are hardly followed.

Our Concerns