1.

INTRODUCTION

Mining for coal, metals and other industrially and economically important
minerals forms the core sector of a country's industrial empire. Like elsewhere in the
world, mining industry has shown a rapid expansion in India too. According to the
Mineral Year Book (1980 - 1986), the estimated values of mineral production since
1947 to the eighties went up by over 100 times. The growth of mining industry is also
reflected in the economic value of production. The value of mineral production rose
from 64 crores in 1947 to 1900 crores in 1992 - 1993. The share of metal mining
sector is about 13% in the total output (Choudhuri, 1994).

The total area under mining in India is equivalent to 1/3 of that under
agriculture (Mathur, 1978). Mining leases in India are spread over an area of 800,000
ha. (Soni et. al., 1992). In 1992 there were about 4,5052 working mines in India of
which 2,854 were for mining of non metallic minerals, 720 for mining of metallic
minerals and the remaining 478 for mining of coal and lignite (Ahmad, 1992).

1.1 WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AMIDST MINERAL EXPLORATION IN INDIAN

SCENARIO

We find minerals where nature placed them and not where we want them. It is
this fact that has given rise to problems stemming from our efforts to achieve
conflicting goals of preserving what lies above the earth and extracting what lies hidden
in the earth's bowl. Many of the country's finest forests and wilderness areas have
extractable mineral reserves beneath them. Mining of mineral reserves in these areas
have posed a major threat to wildlife conservation in India.

Increasing practice of open cast mining is a cause of large scale disturbance,

human intrusion and biotic pressures on floral and faunal values. Impacts of mining on
Western Himalayan ecosystems have been well established (Joshi et.al., 1983; Joshi &
Bhattacharya, 1988 and Valdiya, 1988). Ecological problems of mining in Mussoorie
hills have been highlighted by Rajwar 1982. Impacts of iron ore mining on elephant
habitats in Singhbhum forests have been identified by Singh, 1995. Iron ore mining in
the area has greatly affected the habitat utilisation patterns by elephants. Avoidance of
certain areas of the habitat in the vicinity of the mining project have been identified as a
major behaviour change that will jeopardise the efforts of elephant conservation in the
tracts of Singhbhum forest in the near future. Stone mining in the vicinity of the
Sariska Tiger Reserve, diamond mining near Panna National Park and limestone mining
in Jamra Ramgarh Sanctuary all offer glaring examples of impacts of mining projects
on the wilderness values of the protected areas of our country (pers. comm. P.K.
Chowdhery, 1997 and Kaur, 1997).

Similarly, mining operations in Reserved Forest areas of Chandrapur forest

division in Maharashtra have not only threatened the viability of corridor linkages for the
migration of tiger populations but have also affected the population size of other species
(pers. comm. with the officials of the Maharashtra Forest Department, 1997 and
Dhanwatay, 1994).

These examples draw our attention to the conflict between conserving our
biodiversity heritage and short term economic gain through mining activities in our
country.

1.2 LIGNITE MINING IN GUJARAT

The occurrence of lignite in Gujarat has opened new avenue for industrial
development. Precise figures for the total estimated reserves of lignite in Gujarat are
not available but latest investigations suggest about 700 million metric tons (MMT)
which may be revised upwards to as much as 2000 MMT with future explorations. The
present annual production is around 3-4 MMT, the bulk of which comes from Kutch,
followed by a small production from South Gujarat. Currently, it has been estimated
that lignite occurs in about 1200 sq.km area in Kutch, about 1000 sq. km in Saurashtra
and 800 sq. km. in South Gujarat (Anon., 1996a).

Kutch has lignite deposits of the order of 210 MMT occurring chiefly at
Panandhro, Akrimota, Umarsar, Mata-no-Madh-Lefri and Lakhpat-Dhedhadi in Lakhpat
Taluka. Kutch lignite is favourable for utilisation in power generation because of its high
calorific value and low moisture content (Anon., 1996a).

Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) has been mining lignite

from Kutch since 1974 at Panandhro. The production of lignite from Kutch, which
began with a modest 0.013 MMT in 1974-75, now stands at 3.48 MMT in 1994-95.

1.3 PROPOSED LIGNITE MINING PROJECTS IN KUTCH

Due to its location and the distance from the various coalfields of the country,
Gujarat is not getting adequate supply of coal for its industries. Also the landed cost of
coal makes its use uneconomic for industrial use. Under such circumstances, lignite has
contributed significantly towards the growth of industries and the power sector in
Gujarat.

Lignite is consumed by industries, such as textile manufacture & processing,

chemicals, roofing tiles, cement, bricks, power generation, etc. The Gujarat State
Electricity Board has recently established & commissioned a lignite based 2X70 MW
Thermal Power Station at Panandhro in Kutch district and is consuming about 1.2 MMT
of lignite annually. Based on the success of this power plant, the State Government
proposes to establish three more lignite based power stations of 250 MW each in Kutch,
Surat and Bhavnagar and also to reserve the Panandhro and Akrimota Lignite deposits
for power generation only. Under the circumstances, it has become necessary to
develop other deposits in the state to meet the increasing lignite demand of other
industries. In view of the above facts, Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation
(GMDC) Limited, proposes to augment the lignite production in Kutch area of Gujarat by
opening 3 new lignite mines for achieving an annual combined target of 8.5 MMT of
lignite extraction (Waheed, et.al., 1990).

1.3.1 Project details

The salient features of the three proposed mining projects are provided below.

Proposed Akrimota Lignite Mining Project

(i) Total mine lease area : 2224.00 ha.

Revenue `waste land' : 1560.00 ha.

Private land : 664.00 ha.

Forest land : nil

(ii) Mine life : 40 years

(iii) Total reserves : 81.80 MMT

(iv) Extractable lignite reserves : 55 MMT

(v) Stripping ratio : 1:2.45 Tons/m3

(vi) Proposed annual production : 1.5 MMT

(vii) Utilisation of mine product : Fuel for captive power plant

(viii) Mining technology to be adopted : Mechanised open cast
mining

(ix) Land lock due to external dumps : 104.00 ha.

(x) Top soil dump stockpile : 11.0 ha.

(xi) Back filling : Back filling proposed

after 3 years

(xii) Void/Water body area : 58.25 ha.

(xiii) Man power employment : 675 persons/day

Proposed Mata-no-Madh Lignite Mining Project

(i) Total mine lease area : 1805.17 ha.

Revenue waste land : 1314.71 ha.

Private land : 490.46 ha.

Forest land : nil

(ii) Mine life : 40 years

(iii) Total reserves : 24.60 MMT

(iv) Extractable lignite reserves : 24.60 MMT

(v) Stripping ratio : 1:12.38 Tons/m3

(vi) Proposed annual production : 6 MMT

(vii) Utilisation of mine product : Meet lignite demands of

industries

(viii) Mining technology to be adopted : Mechanised open cast mining

(ix) Land lock due to external dumps : 39.00 ha.

(x) Top soil dump stockpile : 18.0 ha.

(xi) Back filling : No.

(xii) Void/Water body area : Not clear

(xiii) Man power employment : 276 persons/day

Proposed Umarsar Lignite Mining Project

(i) Total mine lease area : 2683.28 ha.

Revenue waste land : 2407.40 ha.

Private land : 257.88 ha.

Forest land : nil

(ii) Mine life : 22 years

(iii) Total reserves : 26.60 MMT

(iv) Extractable lignite reserves : 22 MMT

(v) Stripping ratio : 1:9.10 Tons/m3

(vi) Proposed annual production : 1.0 MMT

(vii) Utilisation of mine product : Meet lignite demands of

industries

(viii) Mining technology to be adopted : Semi open cast mechanised

(ix) Land lock due to external dumps : 110.75 ha.

(x) Top soil dump stockpile : 35.0 ha.

(xi) Back filling : Back filling proposed after 3

years

(xii) Void/Water body area : Not clear

(xiii) Man power employment : 739 persons/day

1.4 THREATS TO CONSERVATION ASSOCIATED WITH MINING IN KUTCH

Kutch represents one of the areas classified under the desert zone of the
country. The concerned area of Kutch offers unique habitat for significant populations
of several endangered faunal species. Some of these species are of national and
international significance, the Indian grey wolf (Canis lupus pallipes) is one of them.

Increasing population, industrialisation and the problems of drought prone

climate already place great pressures on ecological viability of some of the wildlife
habitats in this region. The proposed projects for lignite mining in Lakhpat district are
being looked upon as a source of added pressure on species and their habitat
resources. The Indian Grey Wolf, a species of global conservation significance is found
in this region.

The Indian wolf is a highly endangered canid primarily inhabiting the arid and
semi-arid tracts of the Indian sub-continent. According to Shahi (1981) not more that
500-800 wolves are believed to exist in India. More recent surveys estimate numbers
close to 1500 individuals in the Indian Union and about 250 wolves in Gujarat (Jhala
and Giles, 1991; Jhala, 1993). The wolf population in Kutch being a major strong hold
for the continued survival of the species in India. With such low numbers, the wolf
could be considered even more endangered than the tiger (Panthera tigris), whose
numbers are officially estimated to be close to 3,000. Major threats to surviving wolf
populations in India are - i) loss of remote habitat patches for breeding, ii) depletion of
natural prey populations resulting in enhanced human-wolf conflicts and iii) direct
persecution by humans (Jhala, 1991; Jhala and Giles, 1991; Jhala, 1993).

An assessment of the impacts of the lignite mining with particular emphasis to

the Indian Grey Wolf is therefore crucial for formulating the strategies for the
conservation of endangered desert fauna and also for rectifying, rehabilitating and
restoring the affected environment.

1.5 OBJECTIVE OF THE EIA STUDY

Since the mining projects are listed under `Schedule I projects' of EIA
Notification of MoE&F (Anon., 1994), environmental clearance from Central Government
is a mandatory requirement for project implementation. In accordance with this, the
detailed proposals for Akrimota, Mata-no-Madh and Umarsar Lignite Mining projects
were submitted by Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) to the Ministry of
Environment and Forests, Government of India for obtaining environmental clearance.
The proposals for all the above three projects were considered by the expert committee
(mining) in the 5th meeting of the committee held on 10th July 1996. The need for
additional information was expressed by the committee prior to the accordance of
environmental clearance. Some of the specific information that was desired included
details of afforestation plan and socio-economic and ecoregeneration measures, water
balance of the region and the proximity of the Akrimota mine site to Narayan Sarovar
Sanctuary.
 The proposal was resubmitted by GMDC along with the desired information for
reconsideration by the expert committee during its 6th meeting held at Bilaspur on
August 10th 1976. It was brought to the notice of the committee by some committee
members that the proposed mines are located in the existing range of Indian Grey Wolf
- a highly endangered species of the Indian sub continent. At this, the Ministry of
Forests and Environment, Government of India suggested that specific studies to
determine the status of wolf in and around the mine lease area and an assessment of
the ecological impacts of mining on wolf and its habitats would be useful in aiding the
decisions for environmental clearance.

Subsequently the authorities of Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation

(GMDC) Ltd., Ahmedabad requested Wildlife Institute of India (WII) to undertake the
above study under their consultancy offer.

The following are the broad objectives of the study required to be undertaken
by the WII.

i. To estimate the status of current wolf populations in the proposed mine lease
area.

ii. To evaluate the likely impacts of lignite mining on the resident wolf populations in
the study area, and gain a perspective on the overall impact on wolf populations
in the region.

iii. To suggest strategies to minimize negative impacts of mining on wolf populations

and to promote conservation of wolves and its habitats.

2.0 PROJECT SITE DESCRIPTION

2.1 GEOGRAPHY

The lease areas for the three proposed lignite mining projects of the Gujarat
Mineral Development corporation namely Mata-no-Madh, Umarsar and Akrimota Mining
Projects lies between North latitude 23o27' and 23o47' and East longitude 68o48' and
68o59' and are located in Lakhpat Taluka of Kutch district (Figure 1a). All the three
lignite fields located within the distance of 150 km from Bhuj, are accessible by roads.
The state highway runs through the lease areas. The nearest all weather port is
Kandla. The nearest air and rail link is Bhuj.
2.2 GEOLOGY

Lignite is associated with the Laki shales of Eocene age which is a part of the
Tertiary sequence deposited in North-Western parts of Kutch. During the end of
cretaceous period and in the early Tertiary times, due to large scale orogenic
movements, uplift and subsidence of the crust took place connected with Deccan Trap
igneous activity. The Tertiary sea transgressed and submerged the sinking basins
bordered by elevated lands presently covered by trap rock. Basins thus formed were
the points of loci for the deposition of complete Tertiary sequence ranging in age from
Palaeocene to Pleistocene. The accurate configuration of the Tertiary sequence shows
close parallelism to the present sea coast. Tertiary sequence deposited in Western
Kutch plays an important part in the stratigraphy of Indian Geology and was considered
as a typical area in the Indian continent.

2.3 LIGNITE DEPOSITS IN THE AREA

The lignite bearing area presents basin like structure in Kutch tending on
North-Western and South-Eastern directions on the Northern part of the basin,
suggesting a post palaeocene erosional structure of basement on which the younger
formations have been deposited. In general, the formations show North-Western and
South-Eastern strike with gentle and rolling dips towards South-West and West. The
lignite seams in the field are inconsistent, irregular and split types. 8 to 9 seams of
lignite with thickness ranging from 0.15 to 5.4m are encountered during drilling.
Seams are overlain by shales/or clays.

2.4 CLIMATE
 Semi - arid climatic conditions prevail in the project area. The area falls in the
rain shadow portion with scanty rainfall. Maximum temperatures recorded are 2oC
(winter) and 44oC (summer). May is the hottest month and January the coldest.
Monsoon brought by South-West monsoon is active from June to September. The
average annual rainfall is about 410mm. The humidity varies from 00 to 25% during
day except from June to September when it varies between 75 to 60%.

2.5 LANDSCAPE

The tertiaries are deposited in depression in traps and are characterised by soft
formations with gentle dips. Consequently this field has given rise to generally flat
topography. The area generally lacks high reliefs and presents flat terrain. A few small
hillocks of limestone occasionally provide undulation in the otherwise flat topography of
the area.

2.6 HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY

Seasonal rivers like Korawadi, Khari Fulra & Moti and the few smaller nallahs
are important water courses that flow through the combined lease areas of the three
mining projects. As the area receives only scanty rainfall and as the infiltration capacity
of the exposed formation is low, water potential of the phreatic zone is fairly limited.
The surface formations of the area are composed of shales, clays and clayey
limestones. These strata are poorly permeable to impermeable and hence retard
direct downward percolation of water.

Various small ponds are also found scattered in the area to collect rain water
for preserving the drinking water for the whole year.

2.7 LANDUSE/LANDCOVER

The combined area of the core zones of the three mining lease area is
equivalent to 6712.46 ha. The pre-mining land use of the area consists of private
agricultural and fallow lands as well as Government waste lands, the latter forming
larger proportion of the core zone. The buffer zones of the mines have additional
landuses. These include reserved forest areas, rivers, and their basins and smaller
seasonal streams. The landuse patterns of core and buffer areas of the three proposed
mining projects are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Landuse/Landcover patterns of core and buffer zone areas of
theproposed lignite mines

Mine site Core zone Buffer zone

Mata-no-Madh Wasteland, private Gurjarain Reserved Forest,
agricultural land, agricultural land, wasteland, Khari
nallahs river, nallahs and hillocks
Umarsar Waste land, Private Wastelands, agricultural land,
land, Agricultural land, Reserved Forests, Korawadi river,
Moti river basin Kari river, Moti river, Fulra river
basin, nallahs and several hillocks
Akrimota Revenue wastelands, Wasteland, agricultural land, Kani
private agricultural and Rankai Reserved Forest,
land, Reserved Forest, Koranadi river, Kari river, Fulra river
Korawadi river basin basin and nallahs

2.8 FLORA

The vegetation of the area comprises mainly of tropical dry mixed deciduous
scrub and desert thorn forest which includes trees, shrubs, herbs and climbers. The
area with scanty rainfall and low ground water level supports xerophytic vegetation.
The height of vegetal strata rarely reaches 5m above ground.

Acacia senegal, A nilotica, Prosopis spp., Phoneix dectifera, Leuceana sp.,

Butea sp., and Salvadora spp. were widely distributed tree species. The shrubs
includeEuphorbia rouglena, Abutilon indicus, Calatropis gigantea, Cleome viscosa, and
Jaltropha sp.

2.9 FAUNA

The area is a home to a large number of species that represents characteristic

desert fauna. Leopard (Panthera pardus), hyena (Hyaena hyaena), Indian fox (Vulpes
bengalensis), jackal (Canis aureus), wolf (Canis lupus) and caracal (Felis caracal)
represent the carnivores, chinkara (Gazella gazella), nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus)
and hare (Lepus nigricollis) are the dominant herbivores. The area also supports large
number of reptilian species like the monitor lizard, cobra, viper, wolf snake and banded
krait.
 The buffer zone of Akrimota mine lease also contain parts of the Narayan
Sarovar Chinkara Wildlife Sanctuary which occupies 1/3 of the total buffer zone.

2.10 SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE

The proposed mines are located in Lakhphat Taluka of Bhuj district of Kutch.
Umarsar site has 22 hutments in core zone with a population of 96 and a buffer zone
with 18 rural villages that comprise of total population of 11025. Akrimota site has 9
hutments in the core zone with a population of 39 and a buffer zone with 19 rural
villages comprising of 16343 people. Mata-no-Madh site has no hutments in core zone
but has a buffer zone with 21 villages with a population of 14690.

Koli, Jats, Sodha's and Rabari, Siddi, Gond, Gamit are some prominent tribes
in the region. The main workers (cultivators, agricultural, labourers, household
industries and others labours) form 30.57 to 35; 40% of the total population. Dry
cultivation and pastoralism remains the dominant occupation of the people in the
project area. Other sources of livelihood include mining & industry and handicrafts.
The district has a low literacy rate of 35.26% (Census, 1991).