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Protests against methane mining in Chhattisgarh

Protests against methane mining in Chhattisgarh  Residents of around 25 villages recently stopped the public hearing for a proposed methane extraction project. The 500-odd people from Gharghonda tehsil in Raigarh, armed with the Centre for Science and Environment's report on the project's environment impact assessment (eia), said the eia was weak and proceedings were not transparent.

With the public hearing stopped, the case now rests with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, said R K Sharma, regional officer, Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board.

Australia-based Arrow Energy, with gail India and Energy Infrastructure Group, a Swedish company, plan to explore methane over 643 sq km in Raigarh and Korba districts. The public hearing, mandatory for environmental clearance, was conducted on November 11. Residents of villages under Gharghonda termed the hearing "illegal'.

"According to the eia Notification, 2006, proceedings of a hearing should be conducted within 45 days of an eia report being submitted to the state pollution control board. The company had submitted the report in June, the 45-day period is long over,' says Rajesh Tripathy of Jan Chetna Manch, a local ngo. After people walked out of the meeting midway, the additional district collector of Raigarh had to call off the proceedings. Activists allege they were not informed of the hearing and claimed ignorance on the project.

Pollution fears The Centre for Science and Environment (cse) study shows that the project, at its production stage, may impact hydrology, agriculture and biodiversity adversely. It notes that the water that comes out when methane is extracted is highly polluted but the eia makes no mention of this.

Called coal-bed methane water, it is saline and comprises fluorides and heavy metals. Such water has a high sodium absorption ratio