Abstract
The hills of Himalayan region are rich in flora and fauna diversity. The recent developmental activities (specifically industries and tourism) are adversely impacting the biodiversity of fragile ecosystem of Himalaya. Small scale mines of limestone’s are prominent in the hills of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The mines of phosphorite, soapstone and magnesite are also active in these hills. The blasting, drilling and excavation of steep slopes of hills for mines is triggering the landslides and earthquakes. The application of bioengineering techniques or introduction of exotic species for the stabilization of steep slopes hinder the growth of native plants leading to change in the floral diversity. The north-eastern Himalayan states such as Meghalaya and Nagaland are enriched in coal reserves and extensive mining is being carried out at small and large scale. The conflict on the rights of coal reserves in the Meghalaya and Nagaland are highly reported and sometimes it also results in violence and loss of human life. The recent studies show the loss of forest cover, degradation in quality of soil and water in the mining landscape. The pollution level of cleaner air of the north-eastern Himalayan is continuously increasing. It is also observed that the coal mines of Meghalaya are generating acid mine drainage and are potential source of metal contamination.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acharya, B. K., Chettri, B., & Vijayan, L. (2011). Distribution pattern of trees along an elevation gradient of Eastern Himalaya, India. Acta Oecologica, 37, 329–336.
Arifeen, H. M., Chowdhury, M., Zhang, H., Suepa, T., Amin, N., Techato, K., & Jutidamrongphan, W. (2021). Role of a Mine in Changing Its Surroundings—Land Use and Land Cover and Impact on the Natural Environment in Barapukuria. Bangladesh. Sustainability, 13(24), 13602.
Bali, B. S., Wani, A. A., Bhat, G. R., & Mir, S. A. (2021). GPR investigation of mining induced subsidence and its effects on surface structures: A case study of srinagar city, J&K, India, NW himalayas. Journal of the Geological Society of India, 97, 751–759.
Bandyopadhyay, J., & Shiva, V. (1984). Planning for Underdevelopment: the case of Doon Valley. Economic and Political Weekly, 167–173.
Bandyopadhyay, J., & Shiva, V. (1985). The conflict over limestone quarrying in Doon Valley, Dehradun, India. Environmental Conservation, 12(2), 131–139.
Banerjee, S., Niyogi, R., Sarkar, M. S., & John, R. (2022). Assessing the vulnerability of protected areas in the eastern Himalayas based on their biological, anthropogenic, and environmental aspects. Trees, Forests and People, 8, 100228.
Banshtu, R. S., Versain, L. D., & Pandey, D. D. (2020). Risk assessment using quantitative approach: Central Himalaya, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 13, 1–11.
Bisht, A., & Gerber, J. F. (2017). Ecological distribution conflicts (EDCs) over mineral extraction in India: An overview. The Extractive Industries and Society, 4(3), 548–563.
Bowes, M. J., Read, D. S., Joshi, H., Sinha, R., Ansari, A., Hazra, M., Simon, M., Vishwakarma, R., Armstrong, L. K., Nicholls, D. J. E., Wickham, H. D., Ward, J., Carvalho, L. R., & Rees, H. G. (2020). Nutrient and microbial water quality of the upper Ganga River, India: Identification of pollution sources. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 192, 533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08456-2
Chakravarty, T., & Gupta, S. (2023). Assessment of water quality and insect dynamics of a small tropical river, North East India. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 9(4), 110.
Chamling, M., & Bera, B. (2020). Spatio-temporal patterns of land use/land cover change in the Bhutan-Bengal foothill region between 1987 and 2019: Study towards geospatial applications and policy making. Earth Systems and Environment, 4, 117–130.
Chao, Z., Shang, Z., Fei, C., Zhuang, Z., & Zhou, M. (2023). Spatiotemporal analysis of Urban expansion in the mountainous Hindu Kush Himalayas Region. Land, 12(3), 576.
Chauhan, P., Singh, N., Chauniyal, D. D., Ahluwalia, R. S., & Singhal, M. (2017). Differential behaviour of a Lesser Himalayan watershed in extreme rainfall regimes. Journal of Earth System Science, 126, 22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-017-0796-0
Choudhury, B. U., Fiyaz, A. R., Mohapatra, K. P., & Ngachan, S. (2016). Impact of land uses, agrophysical variables and altitudinal gradient on soil organic carbon concentration of North-Eastern Himalayan Region of India. Land Degradation & Development, 27(4), 1163–1174.
Choudhury, B. U., Nengzouzam, G., & Islam, A. (2022a). Runoff and soil erosion in the integrated farming systems based on micro-watersheds under projected climate change scenarios and adaptation strategies in the eastern Himalayan mountain ecosystem (India). Journal of Environmental Management, 309, 114667.
Choudhury, B. U., Nengzouzam, G., Ansari, M. A., & Islam, A. (2022b). Causes and consequences of soil erosion in Northeastern Himalaya India. Current Science, 122(7), 772–789.
Choudhury, B. U., Divyanth, L. G., & Chakraborty, S. (2023). Land use/land cover classification using hyperspectral soil reflectance features in the Eastern Himalayas. India. Catena, 229, 107200.
Dar, S. A., Ganie, D. H., Teeli, J. I., & Bhat, S. U. (2023). A policy approach for sustainable governance of sand mining activities in NW Kashmir Himalayas. The Extractive Industries and Society, 13, 101204.
Das, M., & Semy, K. (2023). Monitoring the dynamics of acid mine drainage affected stream surface water hydrochemistry at Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, India. Environmental Science Pollution and Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27606-w
Das, L., & Meher, J. K. (2019). Drivers of climate over the Western Himalayan region of India: A review. Earth-Science Reviews, 198, 102935.
Dash, P., & Punia, M. (2019). Governance and disaster: Analysis of land use policy with reference to Uttarakhand flood 2013, India. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 36, 101090.
Deb, M., Tiwari, G., & Lahiri-Dutt, K. (2008). Artisanal and small scale mining in India: Selected studies and an overview of the issues. International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, 22(3), 194–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/17480930701679574
Deb, S., Debnath, M. K., Chakraborty, S., Weindorf, D. C., Kumar, D., Deb, D., & Choudhury, A. (2018). Anthropogenic impacts on forest land use and land cover change: Modelling future possibilities in the Himalayan Terai. Anthropocene, 21, 32–41.
Deka, B. J. (2021). Hydro-politics between India and China: The ‘Brahma-Hypothesis’ and securing the Brahmaputra. Asian Affairs, 52(2), 327–343.
Faridullah, F., Umar, M., Alam, A., Sabir, M. A., & Khan, D. (2017). Assessment of heavy metals concentration in phosphate rock deposits, Hazara basin, Lesser Himalaya Pakistan. Geosciences Journal, 21, 743–752.
Ghose, M. K. (2003). Indian small-scale mining with special emphasis on environmental management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 11(2), 159–165.
Giri, S., Singh, A. K., & Mahato, M. K. (2017). Metal contamination of agricultural soils in the copper mining areas of Singhbhum shear zone in India. Journal of Earth System Science, 126(4), 49.
Gupta, R. K. (1978). Impact of human influences on the vegetation of the Western Himalaya. Vegetatio, 37, 111–118. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00126834
Gupta, A. P., Lakra, H. S., & Gupta, S. (2023). Identifying the cause and impact of slum encroachment along the Asan River. Dehradun. Science Talks, 7, 100243.
Hatlebakk, M. (2023). River sand mining as a livelihood activity: The case of Nepal. The Extractive Industries and Society, 14, 101266.
Hussain, A., Sarangi, G. K., Pandit, A., Ishaq, S., Mamnun, N., Ahmad, B., & Jamil, M. K. (2019). Hydropower development in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region: Issues, policies and opportunities. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 107, 446–461.
Irengbam, M., Dobriyal, P., Hussain, S. A., & Badola, R. (2017). Balancing conservation and development in Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand, India. Current Science, 1187–1196.
Kahlon, S., Chandel, V. B. S., & Brar, K. K. (2014). Landslides in himalayan mountains: A study of Himachal Pradesh, India. International Journal of IT, Engineering and Applied Sciences Research, 3, 28–34.
Kala, C. P. (2014). Deluge, disaster and development in Uttarakhand Himalayan region of India: Challenges and lessons for disaster management. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 8, 143–152.
Kamboj, V., & Kamboj, N. (2020). Spatial and temporal variation of zooplankton assemblage in the mining-impacted stretch of Ganga River, Uttarakhand, India. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27, 27135–27146. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09089-1
Kamboj, V., Kamboj, N., Sharma, A. K., & Bisht, A. (2022). Phytoplankton communities as bio-indicators of water quality in a mining-affected area of the river Ganga, Haridwar, India. Energy Ecology and Environment, 7, 425–438. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-022-00238-5
Ka-ot, A. L., Banerjee, S., Haldar, G., & Joshi, S. R. (2018). Acid and heavy metal tolerant Bacillus sp. from rat-hole coal mines of Meghalaya, India. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section b: Biological Sciences, 88, 1187–1198.
Kaur, M., Kumar, A., Mehra, R., & Mishra, R. (2018). Human health risk assessment from exposure of heavy metals in soil samples of Jammu district of Jammu and Kashmir. India. Arabian Journal of Geoscience, 11, 411. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-3746-5
Kumar, A., Bisht, B. S., Joshi, V. D., Singh, A. K., & Talwar, A. (2010). Physical, chemical and bacteriological study of water from rivers of Uttarakhand. Journal of Human Ecology, 32(3), 169–173.
Kushwaha, P., Chauhan, A. S., & Swami, B. L. (2022). Utilization of waste materials from marble processing industry for sustainable pavement design. Materials Today: Proceedings, 63, 547–552.
Lehmkuhl, F., & Stauch, G. (2023). Anthropogenic influence of open pit mining on river floods, an example of the Blessem flood 2021. Geomorphology, 421, 108522.
Mahapatra, S. K., Reddy, G. O., Nagdev, R., Yadav, R. P., Singh, S. K., & Sharda, V. N. (2018). Assessment of soil erosion in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem of Uttarakhand, India using USLE and GIS for sustainable productivity. Current Science, 115(1), 108–121.
Mandal, D., & Sharda, V. N. (2013). Appraisal of soil erosion risk in the Eastern Himalayan region of India for soil conservation planning. Land Degradation & Development, 24(5), 430–437.
McDuie-Ra, D., & Kikon, D. (2016). Tribal communities and coal in Northeast India: The politics of imposing and resisting mining bans. Energy Policy, 99, 261–269.
Mehta, P., Bisht, K., Sekar, K. C., & Tewari, A. (2023). Map** biodiversity conservation priorities for threatened plants of Indian Himalayan Region. Biodiversity and Conservation, 1–37.
Meinan, Z., Qingbiao, G., Ruonan, Z., Lei, W., & Yafang, H. (2023). Surface subsidence disasters over Xuzhou city, China 2014–2018 revealed by InSAR and Peck model. Environmental Earth Sciences, 82(11), 1–17.
Mitra, S., Roy, A. K., & Tamang, L. (2020). Assessing the status of changing channel regimes of Balason and Mahananda River in the Sub-Himalayan West Bengal. India. Earth Systems and Environment, 4(2), 409–425.
Nath, S., & Singh, R. (2020). A study of the practices and processes and benefit sharing of limestone mining in the Banour-Shiva Mining Region in Himachal Pradesh. India. Environmental & Socio-Economic Studies, 8(1), 36–47.
Naz, A., Chowdhury, A., Mishra, B. K., & Karthikeyan, K. (2018). Distribution of heavy metals and associated human health risk in mine, agricultural and roadside soils at the largest chromite mine of India. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, 40, 2155–2175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-018-0090-3
Palazzi, E., Hardenberg, J. V., & Provenzale, A. (2013). Precipitation in the Hindu-Kush Karakoram Himalaya: Observations and future scenarios. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmosphere, 118, 85–100.
Pandey, M., Mishra, A., Swamy, S. L., Thakur, T. K., & Pandey, V. C. (2022). Impact of coal mining on land use dynamics and soil quality: Assessment of land degradation vulnerability through conjunctive use of analytical hierarchy process and geospatial techniques. Land Degradation & Development, 33(16), 3310–3324.
Parkash, S. (2023). Lessons Learned from Landslides of Socio-economic and Environmental Significance in India. In et al. Progress in Landslide Research and Technology, vol. 1, no. 2, 2022. Progress in Landslide Research and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18471-0_23
Patel, R.M., Ashishkumar, & Kaneria, M.J. (2020). Floristic Diversity, Distribution and Conservation Status in the Vicinity of Coal Mines of Kachchh District in Gujarat, India. In: Shukla, V., Kumar, N. (eds.) Environmental Concerns and Sustainable Development. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6358-0_7
Pattnaik, B. K., & Equeenuddin, S. M. (2016). Potentially toxic metal contamination and enzyme activities in soil around chromite mines at Sukinda Ultramafic Complex, India. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 168, 127–136.
Prakash, A., Kumar, A., & Singh, K. B. (2015). Pot-Hole Subsidence Potentiality in Nongtrai Limestone Mine of Lafarge Umium Mining Private Limited, Shillong. Meghalaya. International Journal of Mining Science (IJMS), 1(1), 10–16.
Punia, A., Siddaiah, N. S., & Singh, S. K. (2017). Source and assessment of metal pollution at Khetri copper mine tailings and neighboring soils, Rajasthan, India. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 99, 633–641.
Raizada, A., & Juyal, G.P. (2012). Tree species diversity, species regeneration and biological productivity of seeded Acacia catechu Willd. In rehabilitated limestone mines in the North West Indian Himalayas. Land Degradation & Development, 23(2), 167–174.
Rasool, R., Fayaz, A., & ul Shafiq, M., Singh, H., & Ahmed, P. (2021). Land use land cover change in Kashmir Himalaya: Linking remote sensing with an indicator based DPSIR approach. Ecological Indicators, 125, 107447.
Rebello, S., Anoopkumar, A. N., Aneesh, E. M., Sindhu, R., Binod, P., Kim, S. H., & Pandey, A. (2021). Hazardous minerals mining: Challenges and solutions. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 402, 123474.
Ritse, V., Basumatary, H., Kulnu, A. S., Dutta, G., Phukan, M. M., & Hazarika, N. (2020). Monitoring land use land cover changes in the Eastern Himalayan landscape of Nagaland, Northeast India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 192, 1–17.
Roca-Perez, L., Boluda, R., Rodríguez-Martín, J.A., Ramos-Miras J., Tume P., Roca N.& Bech J. (2023) Potentially Harmful Elements Pollute Soil and Vegetation Around the Atrevida mine (Tarragona, NE Spain). Environ Geochem Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-023-01591-y
Ruhela, M., Sharma, K., Bhutiani, R. C., & SK, Kumar V, Tyagi K, Ahamad F, Tyagi I. (2022). GIS-based impact assessment and spatial distribution of air and water pollutants in mining area. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29, 31486–31500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-18009-w
Sabin, T.P., Krishnan R., Vellore R., Priya P., Borgaonkar H. P., Singh B B. & Sagar A (2020). Climate Change Over the Himalayas. In: Krishnan, R., Sanjay, J., Gnanaseelan, C., Mujumdar, M., Kulkarni, A., Chakraborty, S. (eds.) Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4327-2_11
Saikia, P., Deka, J., Bharali, S., Kumar, A., Tripathi, O. P., Singha, L. B., Dayanandan, S., & Khan, M. L. (2017). Plant diversity patterns and conservation status of eastern Himalayan forests in Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India. Forest Ecosystems, 4, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40663-017-0117-8
Sangeeta & Singh, S.K. (2023). Influence of anthropogenic activities on landslide susceptibility: A case study in Solan district, Himachal Pradesh, India. Journal of Mountain Science, 20(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-022-7593-1
Sarma, K., & Kushwaha, S. P. S. (2005). Coal mining impact on land use/land cover in jaintia hills district of Meghalaya, India using remote sensing and GIS technique. In Conference Proceeding of National Conference on Geospatial Technologies, Geomatrix (Vol. 9, No. 2005, pp. 28–43).
Semy, K., & Singh, M. R. (2023). Changes in plant diversity and community attributes of coal mine affected forest in relation to a community reserve forest of Nagaland, Northeast India. Tropical Ecology, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-023-00310-z
Semy, K., & Singh, M. R. (2021). Quality assessment of Tsurang River water affected by coal mining along the Tsurangkong Range, Nagaland, India. Applied Water Science, 11, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-021-01444-y
Seth, R., Mohan, M., Singh, P., Singh, R., Dobhal, R., Singh, K. P., & Gupta, S. (2016). Water quality evaluation of Himalayan rivers of Kumaun region, Uttarakhand, India. Applied Water Science, 6, 137–147. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-014-0213-7
Sharma, E., Molden, D., Rahman, A., Khatiwada, Y. R., Zhang, L., Singh, S. P., Yao T & Wester, P. (2019). Introduction to the hindu kush himalaya assessment. The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment: mountains, climate change, sustainability and people, 1–16.
Sharma, R., & Kumar, A. (2023). Analysis of seasonal and spatial distribution of particulate matters and gaseous pollutants around an open cast coal mining area of Odisha. India. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(14), 39842–39856. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-25034-w
Shiva, V., & Bandyopadhyay, J. (1985). People’s environmental action for Doon Valley. India. Environmental Conservation, 12(3), 273–274.
Shukla, A., Gupta, N., & Gupta, A. (2020). Development of green concrete using waste marble dust. Materials Today: Proceedings, 26, 2590–2594.
Shymbin, B. W., & Nongbri, G. (2022). Impact of sand mining on the physical health of the river and the livelihood of the people: A Case Study of Umtyngngar River, Meghalaya. In Anthropogeomorphology: A Geospatial Technology Based Approach, pp. 221–242. Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77572-8_11
Siddiqui, A. U., Jain, M. K., & Masto, R. E. (2020). Pollution evaluation, spatial distribution, and source apportionment of trace metals around coal mines soil: The case study of eastern India. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27, 10822–10834. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06915-z
Singh, G., & Kamal, R. K. (2017). Heavy metal contamination and its indexing approach for groundwater of Goa mining region, India. Applied Water Science, 7, 1479–1485.
Singh, K., & Sharma, A. (2022). Road cut slope stability analysis at Kotropi landslide zone along NH-154 in Himachal Pradesh, India. Journal of the Geological Society of India, 98(3), 379–386. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-022-1989-y
Singh, R., & Sidhu, M. S. (2016). An overview of environmental impacts of riverbed mining in Himalayan terrain of Himachal Pradesh. Journal of Applied Geochemistry, 18(4), 473–479.
Soja, R., & Starkel, L. (2007). Extreme rainfalls in Eastern Himalaya and southern slope of Meghalaya Plateau and their geomorphologic impacts. Geomorphology, 84(3–4), 170–180.
Sweta, K., Goswami, A., Peethambaran, B., Bahuguna, I. M., & Rajawat, A. S. (2022). Landslide susceptibility zonation around Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, India: An artificial intelligence model–based assessment. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 81(8), 310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-022-02806-9
Talukdar, B., Kalita, H. K., Baishya, R. A., Basumatary, S., & Sarma, D. (2016). Evaluation of genetic toxicity caused by acid mine drainage of coal mines on fish fauna of Simsang River, Garohills, Meghalaya, India. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 131, 65–71.
Tiwari, A. K., Singh, P. K., & Mahato, M. K. (2017). Assessment of metal contamination in the mine water of the West Bokaro Coalfield. India. Mine Water and the Environment, 36(4), 532–541.
Vercruysse, K., & Grabowski, R. C. (2021). Human impact on river planform within the context of multi-timescale river channel dynamics in a Himalayan river system. Geomorphology, 381, 107659.
Wiejaczka, Ł, Tamang, L., Piróg, D., & Prokop, P. (2018). Socioenvironmental issues of river bed material extraction in the Himalayan piedmont (India). Environmental Earth Sciences, 77, 1–9.
**a, S., Song, Z., Zhao, X., & Li, J. (2023). Review of the recent advances in the prevention, treatment, and resource recovery of acid mine wastewater discharged in coal mines. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 52, 103555.
Yan, X., Wang, J., Liu, X., Zhao, H., & Wu, Y. (2022). Mining the drivers of forest cover change in the upper Indus Valley, high Asia region from 1990 to 2020. Ecological Indicators, 144, 109566.
Yu, H., & Zahidi, I. (2023). Spatial and temporal variation of vegetation cover in the main mining area of Qibaoshan Town, China: Potential impacts from mining damage, solid waste discharge and land reclamation. Science of the Total Environment, 859, 160392.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Punia, A., Singh, S.K. (2024). Impacts of Mining and Quarrying Activities in the Himalayas: An Overview. In: Borthakur, A., Singh, P. (eds) The Himalayas in the Anthropocene. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50101-2_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50101-2_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-50100-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-50101-2
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)