India's largest diamond mine and its environmental impacts

India’s newest diamond mine at Bakswaha, in Chhatarpur  district of Madhya Pradesh, is now being estimated to be  the country’s largest diamond mine ever. However, the mining project comes at the cost of clearing  forests with 2.15 lakh trees. The mines are located in the drought-prone Bundelkhand  region, where further deforestation could lead to ecological  degradation.Bakswaha is close to the Panna diamond mines. Estimated to have far higher capacity than Panna.

The Diamond Mine

The mines at Bakswaha were first surveyed in 2003-05. Estimated to have 3.42 crore carats of diamonds. 2007 to 2010 – Australian mining firm Rio Tinto ran a pilot project, for extracting the diamonds.

2017 – Rio Tinto came up with an expansion proposal and a new project plan. Involved the cutting of 11 lakh trees. Rio Tinto abandoned the project after fears of not getting an environmental clearance (alleged rift with the MP state government).

2019 – The Kamal Nath government floated a tender, inviting bids for the new mine site (that was abandoned by Rio Tinto).

Aditya Birla Group’s Essel Mining won the bid, at ₹55,000 crores. State government to get 41.55% royalty (₹23,000 crores out of the total ₹55,000 crores). 50-year mining lease. With diamond prices set to soar in the coming years, the project is financially lucrative for the company.

The Environmental Impact

Essel Mining has earmarked 62.64 hectares of land in Sagoria village of Bakswaha, for the mining. The diamond extraction will be on this land. 

However, the company has asked for an additional 382.13 hectares of forest land, adjacent to the mines. This is to be used for the diamond processing and polishing activities.

This 382.13 hectares of forest land has a total of 2,15,875 trees. Many of these trees belong to rare species, which are unique to the Panna region. Wildlife in this region includes deer, sambhar, and leopards.

The Ken-Betwa River Interlinking project already threatens to drown 23 lakh trees in the Panna Tiger Reserve, of Panna district in Bundelkhand.  1.9 lakh trees chopped for Bundelkhand Expressway Highway construction. 

With the expected approval of more deforestation, for the Bakswaha diamond processing facility, experts have raised concerns about the ecological impact on the Bundelkhand region. Fears that such large-scale deforestation in an already drought prone area, can lead to salination of the soil and land degradation. This can have a major impact on agriculture and groundwater in the Bundelkhand region.

The various Expert Appraisal Committees that undertake environment impact assessments of projects, often are formed by people from the mining industry.State Wildlife Boards are often headed by mining company CEOs. Across the world, diamond mining companies have been accused of causing environmental degradation especially in tribal and indigenous lands.

“वो जो हीरा हैआज ।वो लाखों साल पहलेपेड़ था, कटा , टू टा, दबा , दवाब सेकर के हीरा बना । हीरा पेड़ों की लाश जैसा है। लाश की तलाश में, जीववत पेड़ को न गवायें। हीरा नहीं , हरा चुनो ! ”