Mining and Impact Mitigation
Mining in Bokaro, Dhanbad, Ramgarh, and Giridih districts, located in the state of Jharkhand, India, has a significant impact on both the economy and the environment of the region. These districts are rich in mineral resources, particularly coal, and have witnessed extensive mining activities over the years and contribute significantly to the country's coal production. For instance, Dhanbad, often referred to as the "Coal Capital of India," has a long history of coal mining. The district has numerous coal mines, both underground and open-cast, which have had a profound impact on the region's landscape. Similar is the situation in Bokaro and Ramgarh Districts.
Mining Management
The coal deposits in the region are primarily bituminous and sub-bituminous in nature, making them suitable for thermal power generation and industrial use. Mining operations employ various methods depending on the depth and characteristics of the coal seams. Underground mining, including bord and pillar, longwall, and continuous miner methods, is commonly used for deep coal extraction. Open-cast mining, also known as strip mining, is employed for coal deposits closer to the surface. Several coal mining companies including PSUs like Central Coal Fields Ltd (CCL), Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), and private companies like West Bokaro Coal Coal Fields of TISCO operate in the region.
The mining industry from the Bokaro region contributes substantially to employment and the local economy. It provides direct and indirect employment opportunities to a large number of people, including miners, technicians, engineers, support staff and local people and thereby contributes to regional economic development.
However, the mining industry in the region is not without risks. Due to the nature of underground mining, there have been instances of accidents, including mine collapses, fires, and gas leaks. Safety measures and regulations are in place to minimize such incidents, but continuous vigilance and adherence to safety protocols which are essential are looked after by the respective department. More importantly, mining activities in the region have raised concerns about environmental degradation. Coal mining can lead to land subsidence, water pollution, and air pollution, including the release of greenhouse gases and particulate matter. These factors have implications for the health and well-being of the local population and the surrounding ecosystems. Large number of mines operating in the region also have a negative impact on the wild life as they cause fragmentation of habitat which in turn obstruct the free movement of wild animals especially long ranging animals like elephants and the same results in increasing man animal conflict and challenging situation to forest department to mitigate the negative impact on wildlife conservation.
In order to mitigate the negative impact of mining, the Forest Department exercises utmost care in processing forest diversion proposals for mining purposes and takes a holistic approach to ensure balancing the development needs and maintaining the ecological balance. Under Forest Conservation Act 1980, the forest department enforces provision of equivalent non forest land for the forest land under diversion, payment of cost of compensatory afforestation by user agency on the non forest land provided, Payment of NPV of forest land under diversion, preparation of Integrated Wild Life Management Plan and its implementation, Preparation of Catchment area Treatment Plan and its implementation, Environmental Impact Assessment and its mitigation, Reclamation and Rehabilitation of mined over areas and over dumps, etc and thereby the forest department aims to balance the needs for development and environmental conservation. However, challenges persist in ensuring sustainable mining practices that minimize ecological damage and safeguard the rights of local communities.
