Large swathes of coal-bearing areas in forests, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves and elephant corridors may soon be out of bounds for mining activities as a high-level committee of the Union environment ministry has recommended that they be classified as “inviolate” areas. The recommendations have triggered anxiety within the coal ministry which has called for striking a balance between coal mining and addressing environmental concerns. A group of ministers headed by former finance minister Pranab Mukherjee which had shot down the ‘go, no-go’ policy had asked the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) to constitute a panel to formulate objective parameters to identify such areas. Accordingly, the MoEF on March 30 set up a seven-member panel to suggest demarcation of forest to classify them as inviolate patches based on a set of norms. In its report submitted to the MoEF earlier this month, the committee recommended classifying all inviolate areas into forest grids based on their thickness, biological richness, wildlife value, landscape integrity and hydrological value. It said the grids whose average score exceeded 70 (out of 100) should be labelled as inviolate. The panel has given 95 points to exclusive breeding sites and habitats of endangered species, while areas located outside the protected area network (PAN) but situated in critical migratory corridors linking important wildlife habitats have been scored as 90. Areas located within eco-sensitive zones (beyond 1 km from the boundary) around the periphery of protected areas and buffer zone of tiger reserves are to be given 75 points. “All protected areas notified under the Wildlife Protection Act would be categorised as inviolate. However, the score for wildlife values outside the PAN would be based on its intrinsic value as wildlife habitat,” the committee proposed. The inviolate areas will also comprise of areas notified as conservation reserves and core areas of elephant reserves having 70 points, while areas located in catchment area of water supply schemes have been given 75 points. Similarly, coal-bearing areas located within 100 metres from the banks of major seasonal streams and rivers have been given 70 points by the panel. Coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said he was yet to see the complete details of the recommendations. He said, “My view is that the ‘go, no-go’ system had made uncertain the fate of huge number of blocks with reserves of 660 million tonnes. Even they are granted green clearances now... let us strike a right balance between coal mining operations and simultaneously caring for the environment. Our coal companies are capable of addressing their (MoEF’s) concerns by ensuring total reclamation of the utilised mines,” coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said. The environment ministry sources said that coal companies do not have a very commendable track record in mine reclamation and there is a pressing need to keep thickly vegetated forests outside the purview of coal mining operations.