Gadchiroli mining project: Bombay HC asks petitioner to approach National Tiger Conservation Authority
The Bombay High Court has directed a petitioner to approach the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) regarding a controversial mining project in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. The court ruled that the NTCA is the appropriate body to determine if the project threatens tiger corridors and requires specific wildlife clearances.
Why it matters
It underscores the legal complexities of balancing industrial development with environmental conservation and the role of specialized statutory bodies in regulatory oversight.
The Bombay High Court’s Nagpur Bench has directed the petitioner to approach the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), observing that the authority is best placed to determine whether the area for Gadchiroli mining project is connected to the Tadoba-Indravati tiger corridor, the Eastern Vidarbha Landscape or Grid No. 259, and whether the project therefore requires wildlife clearance.
The court was hearing the matter on the 937-hectare mining project in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district and its potential impact on tiger movement corridors and wildlife habitat. According to the court order published on Wednesday (August 19, 2026), the petitioner had not made any prior representation to the authorities before filing and said that the petition should be filed through the NTCA, given the organisation’s specialised statutory role.
The court has granted permission for withdrawal of petition and instead approach the NTCA directly with a representation raising the same grievances.
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