7. Guidelines
for land use planning in MAs
7.0 Introduction
Land forms such an important component of environment
that if its quality is protected properly, it can help protecting the quality
of all other aspects of environment, Fig. 7.1. At the time of creation of the
earth the nature had put the land-water forest ecosystem in a balanced juxtaposition.
Any alteration of it results to an equal and opposite reaction within the same
system. Such reactions may effect the mankind, a part of the same ecosystem,
and may not be very comfortable to it. Hence any activity which disturbs this
balance should be conducted with special care so that this balance is minimum
disturbed.
The above referred system is composed of four spheres the lithosphere, hydrosphere,
biosphere and atmosphere. The first three together form the ecosystem. Mining,
though a developmental activity, is bound to damage this balanced ecosystem
by disturbing greeneries, land and water resources, thus the land's usability
and LUP of the concerned region gets altered very prominently.
It is very much required that these damages are repaired and the concerned lands
are reclaimed at the earliest, because the effects of damage to land are cumulative.
The matter is very serious in Indian condition because mining started here long
back in nineteenth century. When the need of environmental protection was beyond
realisation, and even now the proper technology to repair the damages has not
been developed in some aspects.
7.1 Land use planning in India
The above situation calls for an appropriate LUPg system
for India. The National organisation working best for LUPg in India is the National
Bureau of Soil Survey & Land Use Planning (NBSS-LUP). It has been explained
in chapter 4 that the system followed there is difficult to use for MAs. This
calls for a proper LUMP system suitable for MAs of India.
India's forest cover was only 14.1% in 1983 (Valdiya 1987, pp.31). since 1980s
a country-wide attempt is being undertaken to increase green cover. On World
Environment Day 1999 the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India stated some policy
initiatives, of which the first point was to have a strategy to achieve 33%
forest cover in the country. This calls for prevention of encroachment of forest
covered lands for nonforest use. Even after this some UNEP scientist has observed
(Mohanty, 2001) that the Asia Pacific region is loosing forest cover by 1.6%
per year. Some research activities have identified that green cover over some
MAs in India is going on decreasing. This fact that the amount of forest cover
over India is going on decreasing is definitely an alarming fact. It is imperative
thus that the root cause of the problem is searched out and eliminated.
The problem has been emphasised by detailing the LU scenario of India and the
impact of mining on land and LU. The LUPg system followed in US etc., and also
in India has been detailed, limitations for using the existing system for MAs
have been stated and LUPg system and LUMP for MAs have been suggested finally.
The requirement now is to provide some guidelines for LUPg for MAs which can
be generated based on determinants of LUP.
7.2 Problems of land-use planning in India
Need of environmental protection was realised in the second
half of 20th century, which was officially recorded in the Stockholm Conference
on 5th June, 1972, the first "World Environment Day", but even now, in the 3rd
year of 21st century the situation has not improved much. It has been a matter
of concern because if the activities run similarly even in this century, the
future generations may encounter with an unhabitable earth.
Among the above referred yet untackled aspects, a very important one is LUPg.
India doesn't have any technology of its own for LUPg for MAs. It has been emphasised
by scientists working in the line that there cannot be any universal LU rule
(Rhind & Hudson, 1980). Whatever technologies India is using, are borrowed technologies,
and donot take care of mining degraded lands. Moreover, whatever post-mining
land-use planning activities are undertaken for MAs are not fitting properly
to the requirements. This is proved by the situation that inspite of the country's
National policy of developing 33% forest cover, and inspite of a country-wide
attempt since 1980s to grow more green cover over the country including the
MAs, India is far behind the target.
Further, for mining areas, it has been made mandatory by the GoI that, before
starting any mining project the mining company should submit and get approved
by the MoEF an EMP for the project, of which LUMP forms an integral part. Even
after this it is being noted that the forest cover in MAs is going on decreasing.
The cause behind this may be that the LUMP submitted in the EMPs are being possible
to be implemented properly in some limited cases only, and even where implemented,
the ultimate result in the long run is not at par with the requirement, due
to some cause or other. Further, there may be some unidentified and hence uncared
controlling factor(s), not allowing the desired green cover to develop.
Seriousness of the above discussed matter may be realised from the following
facts:
* Damage to green cover initiates the "cycle of land deterioration" and the
effects are cumulative (Ghosh 2000b).
* One full-grow tree is capable of cooling its surroundings equal to five(5)
average air conditioners operating twenty (20) hours a day, about 93 m2 of woodland
can reduce the noise level by 8 decibels, and one hectare (1 ha) of forest is
capable of absorbing carbondioxide and fumes generated by twenty (20) cars (Coates,
1981 pp. 512).
* Rainfall in the Amazon basin in South America is stimulated by dense forests
in that region (Allen, 1980).
* Forest clearance doubtless causes perceptible decline in precipitation (Valdiya,
1987). Observations in Jharia coalfield (Ghosh 1986) corroborates this.
* The problem is more severe in mining areas because mining and its related
activities are bound to damage green cover. If adequate attention is not paid
to regenerate these, the green cover over the region goes on decreasing.
*Such damages to green cover in CMAs is persistent inspite of the effort of
the mining companies to green the mining degraded lands, and inspite of the
special care taken by the MoEF, GoI to protect and increase forest/tree cover
over the country, specially in the MAs.