More than two lakh tree to be cut for diamond mine in India.

New Delhi: India’s newest diamond mine at Bakswaha, in the 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 a far higher capacity than Panna. 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.

 In 2017 Rio Tinto came up with an expansion proposal and a new project plan.  Involved in the cutting of 11 lakh trees. Rio Tinto abandoned the project after fears of not getting an environmental clearance an 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.

 Essel Mining has earmarked 62.64 hectares of land in Sagoria village of Bakswaha, for 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 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 environmental impact assessments of projects, often are formed by people from the mining industry.