The National Green Tribunal (NGT) passed an order on the Bunder Diamond project on 30th June 2021. Various media organizations have come up with reports that are quite misleading to the readers by stating that the NGT has put the project on hold.
According to the order, it strictly encourages all the parties to follow the guidelines and provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s judgment on this matter before any move is practiced. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Madhya Pradesh shall make sure that no tree is cut without forest consent.
The Hon’ble NGT wants to make sure to strike a balance between development and environmental protection. The Central Zone Bench of the NGT also noted that it understood that development is not possible without little negative impact on the ecology and environment, and that is why the project of the public utility cannot be stopped and it is essential to keep in mind people’s interest along with environmental maintenance.
Bunder Diamond project, established in Buxwaha tehsil of Chhatarpur district, aims to be a role model for sustainable development in India to give a message to the society that both development and environmental protection should go hand in hand in all projects that would be undertaken in the long run.
Under this project, before the mining process occurs, a parallel tree plantation initiative is being designed which will commence much in advance of the recommended mining operations.
The mining procedure is assumed to start in the year 2023, and apparently, the first tree under force will be in the year 2024. The change will happen in a step-by-step manner in the coming ten to twelve years.
Also, in order to sustain the ecology of the region, the plantation is intended within a region of about 5 km from the project area.
As the Buxwaha area has no significant industrial activities leading to few job opportunities for the youngsters. Now with this Bunder Diamond Block project, more employment options will be created for about 1500 local people directly or indirectly.
