6. Economic Viability of the Suggested Techniques
6.0 Introduction
Executability of any LUMP depends to some extent upon its cost-effectiveness. Hence in the suggested LUPg system a provision has been kept for assessing economic viability of the suggested scenario. Hence arises the need of conducting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for impacts of mining on land and LU and also for the suggested reclamation techniques. The concept is that if the cost benefit analysis of any suggested reclamation technique indicates lesser cost requirement than the environmental cost of the impact (which is expected to be mitigated by the technique suggested), the technique should be considered as "economically viable" and hence "cost effective".

6.1 The concept of environmental impact assessment (EIA)
EIA is a common term in todays condition. EIA is a systematic process undertaken to assess in advance, the likely consequences of a proposed or planned human activity (Sinha, 2001). Thus it basically means assessment of likely consequences of a proposed activity. EIA requires the following activities (c.f. Jain et al., 1993).

1. defining the action
2. identifying
a. the components of environment likely to be changed
b. the extent of change
3. determining the impacts (based upon 2a & b)
4. reporting the results.
The impacts may be:
a) direct, short term, reversible or
b) indirect long term, irreversible
6.2 EIA for impacts of mining on land
A thorough study of field conditions on LU and LUP changes in and around the mining areas and the related facts reveal that, impacts of mining on land can be broadly of three groups, i.e. most direct immediate, indirect longterm and much long term as listed next.

* The most direct immediate damages by mining are caused to
# land and land-use (LU)
#the other components, much concerned with LU, are topography, topsoil, greenery and water resources

* Indirect longterm impacts of mining on land related environmental attributes are
# filling up of surface water bodies by siltation
# loss of topsoil due to getting
. mixed with sub-soil and rock,
. transported from the soil profile to the water bodies and
. washed down to quarry base while spread on backfilled quarries
# lowering of water table due to
. pumping of mine water and
. aggravated evaporation through barren land surfaces generated.

* Much long term damages/impacts are
# loss of aquifers due to
. excavation
.compression
# expenditure for biological reclamation of the lands degraded in terms of topsoil and water resources.
EIA for direct damages becomes an easy process, by comparing the mining plan and LU map of the area, by preparing a check list, which may say, X amount of Y variety LU will be disturbed by Z activity e.g. excavation, OB dumping etc. This is generally studied in EIA.
Regarding EIA for long term impacts

* the land degradation cycle (Ghosh 2002) identifies
# the effected components but
# not the extent of effects

*standard EIA technology can not do this

*cumulative effect assessment (CEA) (Clark, 1994, Canter, 1996) considers
# the incremental effects of past, present & future
# these are individually minor but collectively significant as mentioned in US Code for Protecting Environmental Quality, 1987) (Anon, 1987)

* the impacts noted in land degradation cycle are cumulative
# and also gets compounded (like compound interest in bank account)

* the four qualities, i.e. indirect, longterm, cumulative and compound make these INTANGIBLE. These can be assessed only by parallel case studies.

This total concept has been summarised in the table 6.1 A & B

Table 6.1A: The visible impacts of mining on the surrounding land & LU

Type of mining	Impacts
OC mining on flattish surfaces	Complete deforestation in and around the mining site, gross modification of topography, loss of toposoil & subsoil, reduction in agricultural area, shifting of habitats, behading of aquifers, damage to surface water resources, water logging.
OC mining on slope	Deforestation at, above and below the excavation site, modification of topography, slide of land from and above the excavation site to the slope base, damage to LU there.
UG mining	Same as on-surface OC mining, but to a lesser extent, added with damage to topography due to subsidence, and associated effects.
Liquid mining	Almost alike to UG mining.

Table 6.1B: Land and LU damage by mining

The controlling factor	Damage type	Assessed by
* Space availability	Direct, immediate	Change detection analysis, & check list
* Aesthetics	Direct, immediate, also long-term	Visual & to some extent technical
* Land quality depends upon the following	Direct, immediate, also semi-direct & long-term	Land capability/ suitability analysis
A. bearing strength & stability	Same as above	Direct measurements
B. smoothness	Same as above	Hypsometric analysis (Strahler, 1952) & drainage density analysis
C. Soil quality	Direct & indirect	Laboratory analysis
D. Water availability & quality	Direct & indirect	Water balance study & laboratory analysis
E. Degree of erosion & erosion potential	Direct & indirect	Nature of land cover, gully formation etc.
F. Cumulative effect	Indirect long term INTANGIBLE	Parallel case study