Centre rejects mining project near Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli-OxBig News Network

The wildlife board of the Union Environment Ministry has rejected the Uttarakhand Government’s proposal to start soapstone mining in proximity to the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary in Chamoli district.

The mining project was proposed to be 2.1 km away from the sanctuary on agricultural land. The Uttarakhand Government has not fixed the eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the forest. According to the ministry’s guidelines, if the state government doesn’t fix the zone, a default 10 km around the national park is considered an ESZ.

The Supreme Court on February 27, 2024, directed that mining activities should be prohibited in areas notified as eco-sensitive zones. The proposal was recommended by the state government in February 2024. However, a clearance from the Union environment ministry is required to operationalise mining in the ESZ.