The Forest Advisory Committee has granted in-principle approval for a private mining project in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, a region historically plagued by Naxalite activity.

The Rs 250 crore project proposes setting up a beneficiation plant to extract hematite and quartzite, requiring diversion of 2,315 acres of dense forest land. Critically, the site falls within a key tiger corridor and is expected to result in the felling of approx. 1.23 lakh trees. The Maharashtra government had cleared the project at the state level in 2024, citing it as a strategic initiative for regional development.

Despite receiving clearance from the Forest Advisory Committee under the Union Environment Ministry, the project still requires final approval from the National Board for Wildlife, given its location within a wildlife corridor.

A similar example is the operational Surjagarh mining venture, which has given a boost to local development, enhanced revenue, and improved security by providing greater access to security forces, while employing around 3,500 people.