Mains Practice Questions

Introduction:

Mining is a crucial driver of India’s industrialisation, providing raw materials for sectors like energy, infrastructure, and manufacturing. However, unsustainable mining practices have led to severe ecological degradation. India, being the world’s second-largest coal producer and among the top ten mineral-rich nations, faces a dual challenge — ensuring economic growth while safeguarding the environment.

Body :

Environmental Impacts of Mining

• Deforestation and Loss of Biodiversity: Mining in forest-rich regions like Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh causes large-scale deforestation.
  • Between 2014–15 and 2023–24, under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, about 1.74 lakh hectares of forest land were diverted for non-forestry uses, with the mining and quarrying sector alone accounting for around 23% (40,096 ha) of the total diversion.
  • Habitat fragmentation threatens species such as elephants and leopards in central India.
• Soil and Land Degradation: Open-cast mining strips away fertile topsoil, rendering land barren.
  • Reports indicate that coal mining has led to the degradation of nearly 35% of the native land cover in India’s central coal belt, severely impacting local ecosystems.
• Water Pollution and Scarcity: Acid mine drainage contaminates rivers with heavy metals like arsenic and mercury.
  • Coal mining in Jharia and Singrauli has polluted groundwater, affecting local communities.
  • Over-extraction lowers the water table, aggravating water scarcity.
• Air and Noise Pollution: Dust emissions from blasting and transport increase particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) levels.
  • According to CPCB data, mining belts like Dhanbad and Korba often exceed safe air quality limits.
• Climate Change Contribution: Mining, processing, and transportation collectively emit large amounts of CO₂ and methane, intensifying India’s carbon footprint.

Sustainable Strategies for Mitigation

• Adoption of Eco-friendly Mining Practices: Use of remote sensing, drone surveys, and green explosives to minimise land disturbance.
  • Implementation of Mine Closure and Reclamation Plans (MCRP) under the MMDR Act, 2015.
• Strengthening Environmental Governance: Enforce stricter Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and post-clearance monitoring.
  • Transparent digital tracking of mine operations through the STAR Rating System by the Ministry of Mines.
• Rehabilitation and Afforestation: Mandatory afforestation in mined-out areas under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
  • Community-driven reforestation in states like Odisha shows encouraging results.
• Promoting Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency: Recycling of metals and use of mine waste for construction materials reduce virgin extraction.
  • Encouraging urban mining for e-waste recovery supports sustainable mineral sourcing.
• Community Participation and CSR: Active involvement of local communities in mine planning, monitoring, and rehabilitation ensures transparency and shared ownership.
• CSR initiatives focused on healthcare, education, and alternative livelihood generation help diversify income sources, reduce dependence on mining, and promote long-term socio-economic resilience.

Conclusion:

As India aims for net-zero emissions by 2070, aligning mining practices with environmental ethics and sustainability is no longer a choice but an imperative. A “green mining” approach — combining technology, regulation, and community engagement — can ensure that mineral wealth becomes a source of sustainable development, not ecological destruction.