Mind the environmental risks of mining

India's reforms in the mining sector to increase economic activities are a controversial move. This has begun a couple of years ago and a clear picture has not emerged yet on the environmental impact though serious concerns are being expressed. A closer look at the mining statistics reveals that the country's major mineral area is under its richest forests and in the watersheds of its key rivers which are also the homes of India's poorest people, mainly tribal communities and forest dwellers. India's track record so far in dealing with their concerns as mining is pursued vigorously, is ridden with conflicts and doesn't inspire much confidence.

Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi reiterated that incentives will be given to the State governments for successful auctioning of mines and those who have identified potential mineral blocks. "This will inspire other States to perform better in the mining sector," he said, adding that successful States will be rewarded. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread is an old adage. In fact, there are enough rules and laws to ensure that in areas where mining is being done, the environment is protected, water bodies are not polluted, mined-out land is reclaimed and communities get justice. There is a Supreme Court order to protect the environment while mining is carried out. The ground reality is always different. These rules and laws are not always implemented effectively. Scores of mines across the country are left abandoned without proper reclamation.

Coal mining means opening up of forests which makes little sense. The political atmosphere in the country has entered a phase where issues like tribals and their travails, backwardation, unemployment and migration etc., are not anymore the concerns of either the media or the intelligentsia. Religion, religious matters and related violence are occupying our prime time alongside. The urban middle and the political classes are more concerned with vendetta politics and related exercises. Economic reforms have taken a back seat in securing public attention. That emboldens the governments to pursue their vested agendas without any fear of opposition. We talk only in terms of the mining commodity but not the environment that surrounds it.

Coal, iron ore and bauxite, which are the mainstay of our mineral production, are mainly in forests. It just does not make sense to open up such pristine forests. What about people dependent on these forests? An aggressive push for coal mining has led to cases of conflicts with local communities, point out experts. For instance, a report by Land Conflict Watch (LCW), a research group, recorded 703 conflicts across India affecting the lives and livelihoods of 6.5 million people. Among these, after infrastructure, land conflicts over mining projects are the second highest cause of distress, with 8,52,488 citizens affected by them. On average, each land conflict impacts 10,668 people but land conflicts involving mining projects affect the highest number of people – on average, each one affects 21,312 people. That being the case, do we still go for it? How many people in this country even know the above statistics? What an intellectually depraved country is ours which does not discuss or debate these issues during the prime time shows?