India environment ministry clears six coal projects in Orissa
Indian Express reports the Environment Ministry today gave its clearance for mining in six coal blocks in Orissa that are planned to feed coal to three crucial power plants, including one ultra-mega power project (UMPP).
Five of these six coal blocks fell in ‘No-Go’ areas — a reference to those forest areas which are out of bounds for coal mining —because of which environmental clearance was being held up. The permission came after all the three power projects agreed to substantially reduce the forest area that will be damaged by coal mining.
