Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Study on Bellary conducted by ICFRE submitted to SC

On Supreme Court’s directive issued on 5 August 2011,  issued directive for the the ICFRE conducted a macro Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study on Bellary. The assessment team led by Dr Bahuguna comprised 50 members. The team comprised of scientists, laboratory analysts, satellite imagery analysts from Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Forest Survey of India (FSI), and National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), Hyderabad.

The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) submitted the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study report of mining at Bellary district to the Supreme Court on 2 November 2011.

In its report submitted to the court, the Institute mentioned that the flora and fauna of the Bellary district was severely impacted while the environment has sustained significant damage. The damage has been compounded as the small miners resorted to blatant and unscientific mining operations.
 
Preparation of the Report

As per the direction, ICFRE first made a preliminary visit on the mining site at Bellary. Then for 21 days all the team members visited all the 104 mines in Bellary, Chitradurga, Tumkur and Koppal. During the teams visit, members of the team interacted with senior state government officials at Bangalore, held discussions with district officials at Hospet, Bellary and all major stakeholders involved in mining activities. Meanwhile, an extensive inspection of the mining areas in Bellary district with all the team members along with mine owners/representatives was conducted.

The visiting team got an overview of the impact of mining activities on the environment particularly affecting forests, wildlife and on human habitation.

Through the study the team came up with a detailed survey of the impact of mining on the lives of people in the villages, with emphasis on agriculture and horticulture production, the ground water table, health and the socio-economic conditions. All the results were compiled and submitted to the Supreme Court.

The Report

The report mentioned that a large number of mines in Bellary district violated green norms and mining conditions. Accusing mine owners of flouting norms, the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) suggested that the quantum of iron ore to be mined from the area should be annually capped as the mineral is a finite resource.

The mines also encroached upon the adjacent lands illegally and in the process damaged the environment. To mitigate the damage, it was necessary to take stringent punitive actions against the mines and the defaulting mine owners asked to pay for the damage caused to the environment caused due to unscientific mining.

The report highlighted that the mineral is a finite resource and the issue of inter-generation equity has to be borne in mind while giving its consent to mining.