NGT steps in on coal mine plan near Telangana’s Ramappa temple, a World Heritage Site

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken up concerns over a proposed coal mine near the Ramappa temple in Mulugu district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tribunal’s step was reported by The New Indian Express on 8 November; the details of its order were not immediately available.

The state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) has identified about 40 million tonnes of coal near Palampet village in Venkatapur mandal, and has proposed an open-cast mine, about 300 metres deep, roughly 5 km downstream of the temple and Ramappa Lake.

Why it matters

The Ramappa (Rudreswara) temple, built in the 13th century under the Kakatiyas, is famous for its sculptures and its “floating” bricks, and became a World Heritage Site in July 2021. The Kakatiya Heritage Trust and a Ramappa temple protection committee have warned that blasting and heavy mining traffic could damage the temple and the centuries-old lake that feeds the area’s farms, and have threatened a statewide agitation. In October, former BRS MP B. Vinod Kumar urged the Centre and the State to scrap the plan, noting that archaeological clearance has been mandatory for mining near the temple since 2021.

Singareni has said the project is only at the proposal stage, that it will carry out a full survey, and that it will go ahead only with the State government’s permission.

What’s next

The tribunal is expected to seek responses from Singareni, the State government and the heritage authorities before any mining decision is taken.