En route to my state, i was watching several mining projects, giant crater sized white or red colored sand and rocky structures, with all vegetation being wiped out, looked like Holocaust skeletons.A few for their prosperity are wiping away acres of Forest , for resources which cannot be replenished.But the damage to the environment can already be seen.
India’s dominant share of major minerals are concentrated in few states.These are the states with high political activity and significant tribal populace.The interests of the Tribals were for years been ignored.For the sake of mining, these nature dependent human population who have harmoniously coexisting with the environment have been displaced.Not much concern is shown in the area of rehabilitating them. Mining in the states of Orissa, AndhraPradesh, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand which together account for the 60 % of mineral production, has led to tribal displacement, loss of their nature dependent traditional livelihood and forest based economy,ecological damage ,deforestation, draining of local water resources , deterioration of the quality of water etc.
Economic liberalization has led to the invasion of several private interests to exploit these resources which has in turn delivered them immense fortunes.The increasing global requirement of these minerals which are non Renewable has fueled in the exploitation of available resources.There are many cases of illegal mining in rise.
Ironically these mining programs have not contributed to the welfare of the people native to these places.Not much has been done towards the health, education , sanitation and employment of the Tribal.
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