Implementing Sustainable Development for Mining Regions in India

摘要

Migration of population due to mining and associated activities dilutes cultural identity and generates conflict between miners and tribals living in mining regions in India. Mineral bearing areas are in dense forest areas which are rich in biodiversity. Moreover, mining areas are in the poorest districts in India. Mining generates little local benefit at the cost of large scale environmental degradation. Improper coordination between multiple regulatory agencies results in complexities ultimately leading to delay in implementation of mining projects. Social dissatisfaction is common among project affected people due to the lower compensatory amount and inappropriate rehabilitation measures. Despite a series of court orders, an implementable action plan for a sustainable framework for mining industry in India, has yet been attempted. The authors have attempted this much needed work. The sustainable development framework (SDF) suggested, attempts: (ⅰ) environmental zoning and comprehensive regional planning for the mining regions in India, with carrying capacity based concept, (ⅱ) managing impacts at mine level within environmental assimilative capacity, (ⅲ) planning common facility sharing like OB dumping place, common town ship etc., (ⅳ) managing mine closure and post closure activities (ⅳ) managing impacts for down line industries in the mining regions within environmental assimilative capacity, and (ⅴ) managing regional land use strictly as per an environmental zoning plan. A financial model for SDF and also ground rules for SDF implementation monitoring have been discussed.