FAC under Ministry of Forest and Environment recommends for “in-principle” permission for exploration of Uranium in Amrabad Tiger Reserve

The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) under the Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoEF) has recommended for “in-principle” permission for exploration of Uranium in Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Telangana. The approval comes despite contrary reports by forest officials after field inspections. The revised proposal seeks permission for exploration of uranium in 76 km in Amrabad and Udumilla regions, besides 7 km in the adjoining Nagarjunasagar Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh, for use in nuclear power generation. The report noted that the environmental impact of mining included erosion, formation of sink holes, loss of biodiversity, and contamination of groundwater, surface water and soil, which could affect wildlife. However, the revised proposals will not need approval from the State Board of Wildlife again. They will be sent directly to the advisory panel for final approval, after which the State government will need to issue permission through formal orders. In India, uranium deposit discovered till now was either of low grade or of low tonnage or of both low grade and low tonnage.