Nagpur, Jun 26 (PTI) The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Friday sought responses from the Union and Maharashtra governments to a plea against the release of Bander coal block near Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district for auction.

A division bench of Justices Ravi Deshpande and Amit Borkar directed the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest, the state Revenue and Forest departments and the Collector of Chandrapur to file their affidavits within eight weeks.

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The court was hearing a public interest litigation, filed by one Pramod Junghare through advocate Ashvin Ingole, alleging violation of Forest Conservation Act and Wildlife Protection Act provisions as the Union government has released Bander coal block near TATR for auction.

The petitioner has alleged Bander Coal block in TATR was permitted to be auctioned without any clearance from Environment Ministry as these coal blocks fall in the eco sensitive zone (ESZ), which is also a buffer zone of TATR.

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The ESZ is spread over 153.86 square kilometers out of which dense forest covers an area of 43.66 square kilometers, scrub forest over 59.12 sq km, while remaining 0.22 sq km has plantations by forest department.

The plea said coal mining requires environment clearance under EPA, forest clearance under FCA and wildlife clearance from NBWL.

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