{"id":53287,"date":"2025-09-06T18:52:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-06T13:22:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=53287"},"modified":"2025-09-06T18:52:26","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T13:22:26","slug":"mineral-exploration-drilling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/06-09-2025\/mineral-exploration-drilling","title":{"rendered":"Exemptions for Mineral Exploration Drilling on Forest Land"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Environment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Union Environment Ministry\u2019s <strong>Forest Advisory Committee (FAC)<\/strong> has approved enhanced exemptions for mineral exploration drilling in forest areas.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The decision follows requests from the Ministry of Coal and the Ministry of Mines, given the high proportion of mineral-rich zones located within forest cover.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Background<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In 2023, the <strong>Forest Conservation Act 1980<\/strong>, was amended to provide exemptions for exploratory drilling on forest land.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The latest decision expands these exemptions to facilitate mineral and coal exploration, critical for India\u2019s energy and resource security.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Policy Decision<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Borehole Limit:<\/strong> The ministry will now allow <strong>62 to 80 bore holes of up to 6-inch<\/strong> diameter per <strong>10 sq km<\/strong>, for survey and explorations under the exemption category, depending on the type of mineral deposits or ore explored.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bore holes are narrow, deep holes drilled into the earth to explore minerals, ores or oil and gas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>As per the existing guidelines<\/strong> under the forest conservation law, drilling of up to 25 bore holes per 10 sq km and 80 shot holes per sq km, along with felling of up to <strong>100 trees<\/strong> in the said area was exempted from forest clearance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Environmental Safeguards<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Limited Working Hours:<\/strong> Drilling allowed only between <strong>9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m<\/strong>. to align with wildlife activity cycles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Site Restoration: <\/strong>Boreholes must be plugged with cement after completion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Restriction Zones:<\/strong> No drilling in ecologically sensitive areas such as:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Critical wildlife breeding and nesting habitats<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Water sources and riparian ecosystems<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High-biodiversity patches<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Areas with endangered\/endemic species<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Culturally or religiously significant forest sites<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Objectives and Need<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Critical minerals push: <\/strong>Many critical minerals (e.g. rare earths, lithium, cobalt, nickel) crucial for clean energy and defence are found in forest regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ease of Doing Business:<\/strong> Removes delays caused by repeated central clearances for temporary surveys.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Encourages private sector participation and investment in mining exploration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Support for economic growth:<\/strong> Minerals feed into infrastructure, manufacturing, defence, and green technologies.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Faster exploration leads to quicker project development, cost efficiency and attracts investment in mineral exploration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What are the Concerns?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ecological impacts:<\/strong> Drilling noise and vibrations can disturb wildlife movement patterns.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Risk of contamination of forest streams through oil\/grease or debris.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Compensatory measures insufficient:<\/strong> Current norms require compensatory afforestation for felled trees.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>But biodiversity loss, old-growth canopy destruction, and cultural value cannot be fully offset.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Overlap with the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006: <\/strong>FRA gives legal recognition to the rights of forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If exploration is treated as <strong>\u201cforest activity\u201d (not diversion),<\/strong> then community rights and consent requirements may be bypassed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bypassing Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 scrutiny: <\/strong>Traditionally, any activity on forest land that was not directly linked to forest conservation required central government clearance under the FCA.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The reclassification of\u00a0 mineral exploration as a \u201cforest activity\u201d has raised concerns.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Strict enforcement of conditions: <\/strong>Ensure boreholes are temporary, properly cement-plugged, and sites restored.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Conduct independent monitoring using satellites and third-party audits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Adopt advanced exploration technology: <\/strong>Use remote sensing, ground-penetrating radar, drones, and geophysical imaging.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reduce the need for excessive drilling by narrowing down target zones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strengthen ecological safeguards: <\/strong>Develop nationwide maps to identify no-go zones such as biodiversity hotspots, breeding areas, and sacred groves.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Impose stricter safeguards in ecologically sensitive regions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improve compensatory mechanisms: <\/strong>Ensure compensatory afforestation uses native species and includes long-term monitoring. There is a need to Go beyond tree-count compensation by valuing biodiversity and ecosystem services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/centre-expands-exemptions-for-mineral-exploration-drilling-on-forest-land-10230158\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The Union Environment Ministry\u2019s Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has approved enhanced exemptions for mineral exploration drilling in forest areas.<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Background<\/strong><\/h3>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">In 2023, the Forest Conservation Act 1980, was amended to provide exemptions for exploratory drilling on forest land.<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">The latest decision expands these exemptions to facilitate mineral and coal exploration, critical for India\u2019s energy and resource security.<\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/06-09-2025\/mineral-exploration-drilling\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read\u00a0More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53287","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53287"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53287\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53324,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53287\/revisions\/53324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}