Environment Ministry Okay To Balance Ecological & Development Needs KEEN to shrug off its obstructionist image, the environment ministry has said that it was willing to look at options that would balance the needs of development and environment. As part of this exercise, it has agreed to increase forest area available for mining in eight coalfields by 10%. This increase includes underground mines. Environment minister Jairam Ramesh had earlier said that it would be difficult to ecologically justify an increase of more than 5% in forest area available open to mining. Sources said that the decision to increase areas open for mining to 3,80,000 hectare from 3,45,000 hectare was arrived at jointly by the coal and environment ministries. The coal ministry had objected to the initial figure and suggested that 4,50,000 hectare in these coalfields be made available for mining. Coal minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal had argued that the environment ministry