(a) whether the forest areas including Banda, Chitrakoot in Bundelkhand are abundant in mineral resources such as granite, bauxite and silica etc.;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to extract these minerals from forest areas; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and the action taken in this regard so far?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a)& (b) As per the information received from Government of Uttar Pradesh, no specific study about the availability of mineral resources such as granite, bauxite and silica, etc. in forest areas has been conducted. However, as per the information received from Indian Bureau of Mines, various districts including Banda and Chtrakoot of Bundelkhand Region of Uttar Pradesh are rich in mineral resources.
(c) & (d) The Government of Uttar Pradesh has informed that they have not sent any such proposal to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change for extraction of these minerals from the forest areas of Bundelkhand region. Extraction of these minerals from the forest areas requires statutory clearances under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Wild life (Protection) Act, 1972.