Shoot:
Greenpeace India block the main gate of building that houses the Ministry of Coal in New Delhi to protest against the demand for more forestland for coal mining. Twenty life size tigers were placed in front of the gate and chained to each other to protest against the threat mining poses to their habitat. Two tiger mascots holding a banner saying “Our forests a ‘No Go’ for coal mining” demanded a meeting with the Minister, Shri Prakash Jaiswal. The minister agreed to meet Greenpeace activists and the Tiger mascot who handed him petitions from 112,000 people from across the country. More than 26000 hectares of forest land has been diverted for coal mining alone since 2007 making it one of the biggest threats to forests in India. The Coal Ministry wants additional forest land to increase coal production in central India, blaming forest clearance procedures for a shortfall in energy generation. The government’s mining company Coal India Limited has access to over 200,000 hectares of coal bearing land, including 55,000 hectares of forest area. Forests in central India are not only habitat to critical wildlife like tigers but also a source of livelihood to numerous communities living in it.
