MORE THAN 2 LAKH TREES TO BE CUT FOR INDIA'S LARGEST DIAMOND MINE ##भारत के सबसे बड़े हीरे की खान के लिए 2 लाख से अधिक पेड़ काटे जाने की सम्भावना##
India's newest diamond mine at Bakswaha, in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, is mow being estimated to be the country's langest diamond mine ever. However, the mining project comes at the cost of clearing forests with 2.15 lakh trees. The mines are located in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region, where further deforestation could lead to ecological degradation.
The Diamond Mine
The mines at Bakswaha were first surveyed in 2003-05. Estimated to have 342 crore carats of diamonds.
2007 to 2010-Australian mining flirm Rio Tinto rana pilot project, for extracting the diamonds.
2017-Rio Tinto came up with an expansion proposal and a new project plan. Involved the cutting of 11 lakh trees.
Rio Tinto abandoned the project after fears of not getting an environmental cdearance (alleged rift with the MP stote government). 2019-The Kamal Nath government floated a tender, inviting bids for the new mine site (that was abandoned by Rio Tinto).
Aditya Birla Group's Essel Mining won the bid, at 55,000 crores.
State gowernment to get 41.55% royalty (23,000 crores out of the total 55,000 crores). 50-year mining lease.
The Environmental Impact
Essel Mining has earmarked 62.54 hectares of land in Sagoria village of Bakswaha, for the mining. The diamond extraction will be on this land. However, the company has asked for an additional 382.13 hectares of forest land, adjacent to the mines .This Is to be used for the diamond processing and polishing activities.
This 382.13 hectares of forest land has a total of 2,15,875 trees. Many of these trees belong to rare species, which are
unique to the Panna region. Wildlife In this region includes deer, sambhar, and
leopards.
The Ken-Betwa River Interlinking project already threatens to drawn 23 lakh trees in the Pansa Tiger Reserve, of Panna district in Bundelkhand. 1.9 lakh trees chepped for Bundelkhand Expressway Highway.
construction with the expected approval of more deforestation, for the Bakswaha damond processing facility, esperts have raised concerns about the ecological impact on the Bundelkhand region.
Fears that such large-scale deforestation in an already drought prone area, can lead to salination of the soll and land degradation. This can have a major impact on agriculture and groundwater in the Bundelkhand region.
Comments