The undivided Ballari district, the epicentre of Karnataka’s notorious mining scam, has witnessed the loss of over 3,338 acres of forest cover in the last 14 years. This alarming figure represents 80% of the total 4,228.81 acres of forest destroyed across four districts due to legalised mining activities, surpassing the devastation caused by illegal mining operations.
A Troubling Trend of Forest Depletion
Data obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by Deccan Herald reveals that between 2010 and March 2024, 60 mining projects were approved in the districts of Ballari, Chitradurga, and Tumakuru, with Ballari alone accounting for 39 of these projects. Additionally, mining leases covering at least 5,000 acres of forest land were extended or renewed during this period, exacerbating the environmental impact.
The destruction caused by legal mining activities has proven to be even more severe than that from illegal operations. According to a macro analysis conducted by the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) following a Supreme Court order, 8.9 sq km (2,199.24 acres) of forest were destroyed between 2000 and 2011 due to illegal mining. In contrast, the period since 2010 has seen more than double that amount of forest loss due to legal mining, with significant repercussions for the region’s ecology and biodiversity.
Legal Mining’s Devastating Impact
In 2013, the Supreme Court recognised the severe environmental damage caused by mining activities, noting that species such as the Egyptian vulture, yellow-throated bulbul, white-backed vulture, and four-horned antelope had vanished from the area due to forest depletion. As a result, the Court imposed stringent norms to regulate mining and protect the remaining forests. However, the legalisation of certain mining activities has led to a new wave of forest destruction, particularly in the Sandur region of Ballari district.
An official lamented the situation, stating, “We are seeing legalised destruction. The results of the havoc are all too visible in Sandur if one cares to look at the impact on the wildlife and the life and livelihood of the people.”
The Human and Environmental Toll
The impact of mining on local communities and the environment has been profound. A study conducted by the Hyderabad-based Cerana Foundation, commissioned by Samaja Parivartana Samudaya (SPS)—the organisation that brought the illegal mining case to the Supreme Court—revealed a four-fold increase in the prevalence of asthma in areas exposed to air pollution caused by mining. The study also estimated that agricultural income in the affected areas has suffered losses of approximately ₹200 crore annually.
In addition to the direct human health impacts, the environmental cost of mining has been staggering. The study found that iron ore production emits an average of 25 kg of carbon dioxide per tonne, necessitating the planting of forests over 400 sq km (98,842.15 acres) to sequester the emissions from 2011 alone. The cost of this carbon sequestration was estimated at ₹120 crore, highlighting the extent to which the environment has subsidised the iron ore industry.
Calls for Sustainable Resource Management
S R Hiremath, a prominent environmental activist and leader of SPS, has called for urgent action to address the ongoing destruction of forests in Karnataka. He noted that the Supreme Court had set up a special purpose vehicle for rehabilitation and restoration work in the affected districts, with a budget of ₹26,000 crore. However, he expressed concern that the government continues to permit the destruction of more forests, including pristine virgin forests, despite the ongoing environmental crisis.
“At this rate of extraction, mineral deposits in Ballari may last for 25-30 years. Doesn’t the future generations have a say in the utilisation of resources, not to mention the conservation of the forests?” Hiremath asked, underscoring the need to adopt the principle of intergenerational equity in resource management.
As extreme weather events linked to climate change continue to claim lives across India, the destruction of forests for mining in Ballari and surrounding districts raises critical questions about the long-term sustainability of such practices. With the future of the region’s ecology, wildlife, and human health at stake, there is an urgent need for a reassessment of Karnataka’s approach to mining and forest conservation.