Arunachal Pradesh and OIL India Limited have signed an agreement for a composite licence for the Phop graphite and vanadium block in the Yazali circle of Keyi Panyor district. The exploration site is located at Phop village near Pitapool in Yazali circle. OIL will begin exploration work under the composite licence, with exploration expected to take a minimum of two years. Based on the exploration findings, actual mining activities will commence only if sufficient mineral deposits are confirmed.
The Centre for Earth Sciences & Himalayan Studies (CESHS) will act as a local partner and stakeholder with a 10 percent partnership interest in the project. It will support preliminary and exploratory surveys, as well as coordinate with local communities and authorities.
Inadequate environmental safeguards could lead to long-term ecological destruction; therefore, it is essential that communities are fully informed. More often than not, these concerns have not been a priority for the government or project proponents. People should be given the option to choose, rather than having decisions imposed upon them without a proper assessment of the pros and cons.