Environmental Consequences of Mining in Balaghat (M.P.): Assessing Land-Use Change, Air Pollution and Water Contamination
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm2025.v05.n02.006Keywords:
Balaghat, mining impacts, environmental justice, political ecology, qualitative research, land-use change, air pollution, water contaminationAbstract
Mining activities in Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh, have long been central to regional economic development, yet their environmental and socio-cultural repercussions remain underexplored in qualitative terms. This study investigates the intertwined impacts of land-use change, air pollution, and water contamination through an environmental justice and political ecology lens. Fieldwork in selected villages—Dongri, Pauniya, Hirapur, and Tirodi—involved semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, participatory mapping, and document analysis of government and non-governmental sources. Findings reveal that land loss is both a spatial and cultural displacement, air pollution is experienced as a seasonal and sensory intrusion affecting health and agriculture, and water contamination erodes trust in official monitoring while disproportionately increasing women’s labour burdens. A persistent gap between policy narratives and lived realities points to governance deficits, limited procedural justice, and underrepresentation of vulnerable groups in decision-making. The study concludes that sustainable mining governance in Balaghat requires participatory monitoring, gender-sensitive rehabilitation measures, and culturally grounded policy interventions to bridge trust deficits and promote equitable environmental management.
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