The move has shocked the green activists in the city who have been opposing tooth and nail all plans to mine the mineral in the ecologically fragile jungles of Radhanagari, located 55 km south of Kolhapur.

Nisarga Mitra has threatened an massive stir against any such lease, which will damage the ecosystem of the Western Ghats. The organisation's spokesman Dr Madhukar Bachulkar-Cholekar said the State Government proposed to grant a mining lease of over 2903.43 hectares at Vansoli, Kondoshi and Dubalewadi villages forming the heartland of Radhanagari Sanctuary to a Kolhapur-based aluminium company. He, however, refused to disclose other details about the company ``to guard his sources.''

Stating that the move was in clear violation of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and the Supreme Court order on banning the non-forestry use of forests, Bachulkar said it was shocking that such a lease was being contemplated even while the dispute over INDAL's mining project at Iderganj plateau in the heart of Radhanagari sanctuary was still fresh. The private company had applied for a 30-year lease in January 1996.

District collector Manukumar Shrivastava forwarded his node in December 1996. After approval by the Mining and Geology department, the Trade and Commerce department decided to grant a 30-year lease, same period as granted to INDAL, Bachulkar said.

``The Trade and Commerce department forwarded a letter to the Ministry of Steels and Mines on July 29 requesting it to approve the proposal, since bauxite is a scheduled mineral,'' Bachulkar said, showing photo copies of the letter.

Although the State Government has asked the company to comply with the provisions of mining rules and other statutes, including the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, Bachulkar questioned the very basis of granting a mining lease within the notified sanctuary area. ``Any mining activity is forbidden in a wildlife sanctuary under the Forest Conservation Act,'' he said. He described the move as unlawful, as a petition challenging INDAL's mining activity was still pending in the Bombay High Court.