New Delhi: Reckless mining by companies for luxury items consumed in India and abroad are devastating a critical watershed forest for wildlife and local communities in the western state of Rajasthan in India.The findings have been highlighted in a report, Undermined – Destruction of Tiger Habitat in India, by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), which was released here today. The report focuses on the Jamwa Ramgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, in the Aravalli hills

region of Rajasthan, which also acts as a vital spillover area for tigers of Sariska Tiger Reserve which is contiguous with Jamwa Ramgarh WLS.

The head of EIA’s Tiger Campaign, Debbie Banks, said, “The industry has flagrantly disregarded the legal status of the reserve and has been allowed to operate in an unsustainable and unethical manner, without any moral consideration towards the endangered tiger or the importance of the area for groundwater.”

Companies have been quarrying for marble and soapstone in the area. The Jaipur Mineral Development Syndicate claims that the soapstone that is produced by these mines are some of the best in the world and is processed for use in highly-pricved cosmetics. Soapstone is pulverised and used in cosmetics. Dagota village in Jamwa Ramgarh has the largest deposits of talc estimated at 7.5 million tonnes.

EIA plans to draw the issue to the attention of cosmetic companies which have been buying talc from the area. Ms Banks asserted, “International corporations and consumers must act responsibly when sourcing and purchasing these products. For the sake of the tiger and the local communities who depend on these forests for water, India cannot afford to compromise the long-term security of its protected areas.”

Nick Mole, EIA Tiger Campaigner, said, “I have visited many mining areas around the world, but I have never witnessed the kind of widescale devastation as Jamwa Ramgarh Wildlife Sanctuary has been subjected to.” An 11-minute film screened on the occasion showed that while on one hand unregulated mining activities remain unabated within the boundaries of the sanctuary, no efforts had been made to rejuvenate forest areas where the mines had been closed down. At least 32 square kilometres have been laid to waste by commercial soapstone and marble mining operations in violation of national legislations.

Stating that mining companies were “unethically, unsustainably and illegally” carrying on activities in the eco-fragile area, Ms Banks expressed concern at the collusion between politicians with vested interests and mining lobbies. EIA, she said, was not against the industry per se, but was vehemently against “unsustainable, unregulated and unaccountable” mining activities. The Indian Forest Act, the Forest Conservation Act, the Environment Protection Act, and the Wildlife Protection Act “had been thrown to the winds.”

The EIA report says that the Jamwa Ramgarh example is a case in point – the mining lobby has been wreaking havoc in other parts of India by holding sway over wildlife, forest and conservation interests. The report says that at least 80 protected areas (PAs) in India have been affected by mining. A wildlife expert contends that the number of PAs which have to bear the brunt of mining activities could be as high as 200. This, Ms Banks said, was despite the fact that India has an excellent PA system on paper.

The situation may be grim, and portents ominous – the report, however, is not a prophetic declaration of doom. The silver line, Ms Banks said, on this dark cloud comes from the fact that the situation is not irreversible. The starting point has to be the enforcement of the

laws of the land and the closure of the mines. Mr Mole said not only is the marble extracted from the mines in Jamwa Ramgarh not of an exceptional quality, plenty of alternatives are available as well. The report says that adopting the Sustainable Development Charter of the

International Council of Mining and Metals can be a positive starting point.

EIA has also stressed on the development of tourism as an alternative source of revenue both for local communities and the state of Rajasthan. With a third of all tourists to India visiting the state, Sariska Tiger Reserve alone accounts for 23,000 of them every year, and the revenue

generated is around $84,000. Sustainable tourism, the report concludes, can provide beneficial results for Rajasthan in terms of generating revenue and as a way to ensure the long-term protection of ecologically vulnerable areas and in providing employment.

Pictures: EIA