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ISSN 2063-5346
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF BAUXITE MINING SITES IN COASTAL AREAS – CASE STUDY RAIGAD DISTRICT, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

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Priya Kanojia, Sudhakar Pardeshi
» doi: 10.53555/ecb/2021.10.4.14

Abstract

Coastal zone is important for habitats of wildlife, as a safety barrier, food source, mineral resource, recreational area and for industries. Coastal regions are resourceful regions and have the potential for different human activities. Coastal zones are very sensitive and all the human activities are affecting this area and are of important environmental concern. Although human activities like Aquaculture, mining and beach tourism boost the economy and provide employment opportunities to the local people they are also polluting and creating harm to the environment to a great extent. The paper presents the study of environmental impacts of Bauxite mining in some parts of the Raigad District, Maharashtra, India. This study has taken into consideration physical, geographical, ecological and socio-economic components to study the environmental impacts of different mining processes. To assess the impacts, Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM) has been used and the results have clearly shown that there are major negative impacts on the environment like loss of biodiversity, air, water and noise pollution, displacements of settlements. At the mining sites of Harvit, Dandguri –Khujare, Kurwade – Maral and Devkhol are left without backfilling and levelling after extraction of bauxite ore, which lead to the risk of landslides and erosion, Also as per EIA, the mining company has to backfill the area and the has to do plantation It is also observed that, due to blasting, cracks are developed on the walls of structures in Harvit and Kurwade villages. Negative impacts like these can be minimized by adopting sustainable mining methods and also by following Green mining in different countries worldwide. However, mining also has a positive impact on the region like employment opportunities, financial and economic development of any region, and ultimately of any nation.

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