Environmental Impact Assessment  of Karoonjhar hills, Granite Mining.

Objectives of the EIA.

·         To identify and describe the elements of the community and environment likely to be affected by the mining activities.

·         To identify and quantify emission sources and determine the significant of impacts on the local ecology.

·         To identify the potential impacts on livelihood of the people.

·         To propose the provision of mitigation measures so as to minimize pollution, environmental disturbance and nuisance arising from the granite mining.

·         Which activities are necessary to mitigate these environmental impacts and to reduce them to acceptable levels?

            Scope of the Karoonjhar EIA

This EIA study addressed the likely potential of air quality, noise, particulates, dust and solid generation, hydrocarbon and wastewater, and there impacts due to the granite mining, together with any other key issues identified during the course of the EIA study.

             Water resources

The ground water is recharged mainly from the inflow of Karoonjhar hills faults and fishers, this recharging pattern is providing water through out the year in wells for drinking, livestock and in some areas for agricultural purposes mainly Kasbo.  The water table is ranges from 20-100 feet.

Water Quality

Groundwater is a large and essential part of the water resources available for human use and development.  It forms an integral part of the hydrological cycle and is mane places are the only viable source of water supply.  Aquifers are very sensitive to abuse, however, such as pollution and over-abstraction .The chemistry (quality) of groundwater reflects inputs from the atmosphere, from soil and water-rock reactions (weathering), as well as from pollutant sources such as mining, land clearance and human activities. The relatively slow movement of water through the ground means that residence times in ground water’s are generally orders of magnitude longer than in surface waters.

 

                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Findings and Recommendation

 

1.      Karoonjhar possesses a fragile ecology. Disturbance of any component will result the destruction of most eco-systems, which interlink and form the Karoonjhar habitant.

2.      Peacocks are one of the main indicator of Karoonjhar area ecology, their population is distinctly effected by the granite mining activities and the numbers are decreasing   gradually.

3.      Majority of birds, animals and reptiles species founds are under stress. They are very much harassed by the distressed sounds of blasting carried for the granite mining extraction and exploration processes.

4.      Splinters and sharp edged boulders have detroit the habitant of the animals, birds and reptiles. Some times they get injured and consequently dies of these injuries.

5.      It was observed that mining is not being carried out at full scale, due to some reason, but it is perceived that the full scale mining of the granite will have major effects on natural mystical beauty of the Karoonjhar and inhabitants associated with it.

6.      The entire Nagar population water requirements are wholly solely dependent on ground water, collected through fishers, faults and transmissive soil from the hill torrents of Karoonjhar, which governs the ground water recharge pattern. It is apprehended that the increased mining activity will pollute the ground water with the sulphur contamination.

7.      It’s easy for the miners to setup granite quarries near the short time river courses for the quick and good availability of the granite rock. If this practice will remain continue it will divert the natural waterways and consequently there will be shortfall in the availability of water quantum.

8.      Mining has so far brought no relief financially or in any way to the local population. Nor it has contributed any development or employment in the region. Miners bring their own workers food and necessities with them.

Recommendations:

Unless rules and regulation are not prepared and implemented through some major studies of area, mining should not be allowed at all. At the moment it seems to be that government has not designed it in a way that it protects the rights of any living thing including human beings in the affected area.

Mining should only be allowed after adopting the followings.

1.      All the stakeholders are consulted and satisfied of the grievances.

2.      Ecology is assured and to be not disturbed at all.

3.      Miners should invest properly and buy state of art equipment, machinery and technology.

4.      They should not look for the short cut which are often destroyers and dangerous.

5.      All the processes involved in mining and processing should follow ISO 14000, 9000 and are must be environmental friendly.

6.      Storage of Material and waste dumping should be done properly.

7.      Solid and other waste material should be depose properly or decomposed through bio-degradation methods.

8.      Sound and air pollution laws must be formulated and crude blasting methods should be restricted.