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Environmentalists in Gujarat have expressed concern over the rising of land in a village in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district. They have blamed mining for lignite being carried out by the state government in the vicinity.
Land has risen in the period March 9-March 17, 2022 at the Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation’s (GMDC) lignite mining site at the Bhuteshwar-Bhumbhali village in Bhavnagar district, according to a statement by Vadodara-based non-profit, Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (PSS).
The land has risen approximately 10 metres in height and 700 metres in width.
This is the fourth such incident in the last four years, according to Rohit Prajapati of PSS. Similar incidents were observed in 2019 at Thordi village, in 2020 at Badi–Hoidad village and in 2021 at Badi village.
All these sites are in Bhavnagar district.
Prajapati visited all these sites. “On October 1, 2021, PSS visited the mining waste dumpsite 350 metres away from the residential area of Badi Village. We observed that the dumpsite was sinking. On October 3, we estimated it too have sunk by about 25-30 feet deep and around 150 metres in length,” the statement said.
The environmentalists also observed that the Maleshree river, that flows 350 metres away from the residential area of Badi village and the village pastoral land, located about 1.5 kilometres away from the village, were contaminated due to illegal mining waste being dumped into them.
The village pastoral land was being rendered unfit for agriculture and animal husbandry needs, according to PSS.
The PSS urged an immediate halt on all mining activities till the reason for the unusual occurrence was ascertained.
It suggested that experts should carry out a drone survey and put the findings on record. The administration should also suggest short-, medium- and long-term measures to tackle the disaster.
The affected area should be fenced off, with public warning notices to the effect that it is a disaster-prone zone, the statement said.
Prajapati and his colleague, Krishnakant, also urged a GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) study to ascertain neotectonics activities in the area to get an idea of impact due to mining activities in the area beneath land surface.
They also called for recognising and demarcating faults in the area and to ascertain tectonic activity and the impact of unusual geological phenomenon.
Finally, they also urged action against errant officials for violations of the conditions of the Environment Clearance and Consent under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.