Iron Ore Beneficiation Plant Approved in Gadchiroli District
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Project Approval | Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) granted in-principle forest clearance to Lloyd Metals and Energy Limited for an iron ore beneficiation plant in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. |
| Land Diversion | 937 hectares of forest land to be diverted; 1.23 lakh trees to be felled. Compensatory afforestation proposed in Chiplun, Ratnagiri district. |
| Wildlife Concerns | Partial overlap with tiger corridor between Tadoba-Andhari and Indravati Tiger Reserves. Requires National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) clearance. |
| Economic Significance | Expected to boost industrial development (iron ore processing for steel industry) and generate employment opportunities in LWE-affected Gadchiroli. |
| Environmental Concerns | Risks to biodiversity (tiger corridor) and tribal rights (Forest Rights Act compliance needed). Strict monitoring required. |
| Indravati Tiger Reserve | Located in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh; established in 1981, declared tiger reserve in 1983. Key species: wild buffalo, tiger, leopard, sambar, gaur. |
| Tadoba-Andhari TR | Oldest & largest national park in Maharashtra. Named after Tadoba (local deity) and Andhari River. Key species: tiger, leopard, sloth bear, gaur, dhole. |