Chandrapur: Maharashtra govt has no intention of granting permission to the proposed Lohardongri iron ore mining project located in the crucial tiger corridor of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, forest minister Ganesh Naik told the state legislature on Wednesday, offering a key assurance amid growing environmental concerns.Responding to a question raised by Chandrapur MLA Kishor Jorgewar during the Budget session, Naik said the govt has not granted any final approval to the project and reiterated that it does not intend to allow mining activity in the ecologically-sensitive corridor connecting important tiger habitats.Jorgewar had urged the govt to cancel the proposed mining project, warning that excavation in the Lohardongri area could harm wildlife habitats and further aggravate the already serious human-wildlife conflict in the region.The proposed mine is planned over about 35-36 hectares in Lohardongri, a forested landscape located between Tadoba and the Ghodazari area, which wildlife experts consider a critical movement corridor for tigers. Environmentalists fear that mining activity in the stretch could disrupt the natural movement of big cats and fragment forest habitats.Raising the issue in the House, Jorgewar also drew attention to the ongoing protest led by environmentalist Bandu Dhotre, founder of Eco-Pro, who has been staging an agitation against the project in Chandrapur. The MLA urged the govt to take the concerns of conservation groups and local residents seriously and convene a joint meeting involving activists, officials and stakeholders.Chandrapur district currently holds one of the highest tiger populations in the country, but it has also witnessed a sharp rise in human-tiger conflict, with over 200 human deaths reported in recent years.Allowing mining in a key wildlife corridor could intensify this conflict and threaten conservation gains, Jorgewar cautioned.Replying to the concerns, Naik said the matter is presently under judicial consideration, but made it clear in the House that the govt has no plans to approve the Lohardongri mining proposal.
