{"id":44439,"date":"2025-01-09T07:32:21","date_gmt":"2025-01-09T02:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=44439"},"modified":"2025-05-06T11:23:29","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T05:53:29","slug":"impact-of-soapstone-mining-on-land-subsidence-in-bageshwar-uttarakhand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/impact-of-soapstone-mining-on-land-subsidence-in-bageshwar-uttarakhand\/","title":{"rendered":"Impact of Soapstone Mining on Land Subsidence in Bageshwar, Uttarakhand"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>\u00a0What\u2019s in today\u2019s article?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Why in News?<\/li>\n<li>What is Soapstone?<\/li>\n<li>Various concerns associated with Soapstone mining<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Why in News?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The Uttarakhand High Court has criticized authorities for unregulated soapstone mining in Bageshwar district, which currently has over 160 mines.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The court took suo motu cognizance of a November 7, 2024 news article highlighting rampant mining in Kanda tehsil, leaving poor residents vulnerable to natural calamities.<\/p>\n<p>The report submitted to the Uttarakhand HC highlighted the absence of a clear definition for &#8220;semi-mechanised mining&#8221; by both the State of Uttarakhand and the Union of India.<\/p>\n<p>Environmental clearances are being granted without defined policy limits, enabling the use of heavy earth-moving equipment, which leads to severe environmental and operational challenges.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is Soapstone?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>About<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Soapstone, also known as steatite, is a <strong>soft metamorphic rock<\/strong> composed primarily of talc with varying amounts of chlorite, dolomite, and magnesite.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Its smooth, soapy texture and heat-resistant properties make it a versatile material.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Uses<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Industrial Uses<\/strong>: Soapstone is widely used in industries for making sculptures, countertops, sinks, and tiles due to its durability and aesthetic appeal.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Heat Resistance<\/strong>: It is used in stoves, fireplaces, and laboratory countertops because of its excellent heat resistance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cosmetics and Paper<\/strong>: Ground soapstone serves as a filler in paper, cosmetics, and paints.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Traditional Uses<\/strong>: In India, soapstone is used for making utensils, handicrafts, and idols.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Availability in India<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Rajasthan<\/strong>: The largest producer, particularly in the Udaipur, Dungarpur, and Bhilwara regions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Uttarakhand<\/strong>: Notable deposits in Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, and Almora districts.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tamil Nadu and Karnataka<\/strong>: Smaller reserves also exist.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mining<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Soapstone mining involves extracting talc-rich rock from open-pit or underground mines.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Various concerns associated with Soapstone Mining<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Environmental Concerns<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Land Subsidence in Uttarakhand<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Land subsidence is a significant issue, with notable cases like Joshimath in 2022 and vulnerable areas like Kanda-Kanyal and Kanda in Bageshwar district.<\/li>\n<li>Subsidence, defined by NOAA as the \u201csinking of the ground due to underground material movement,\u201d can result from mining, water\/oil extraction, soil erosion, compaction, and earthquakes.<\/li>\n<li>Mining in lower slope areas destabilizes upper slopes, increasing vulnerability to mass movement.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Loamy, loose soil in the region exacerbates erosion, especially during monsoons.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mining Impacts on Stability and Ecosystems<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Mining operations lack essential safeguards like green belts, retaining walls, buffer zones, and slope monitoring.<\/li>\n<li>These deficiencies accelerate soil erosion, destabilization, and slope failure.<\/li>\n<li>Mining and associated activities cause water scarcity, pollution, and air pollution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cultural Concerns<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Impact on Traditional Structures<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The <i><strong>Kumaoni Bakhli<\/strong><\/i>, traditional houses resilient to seismic activity, are now damaged due to subsidence and mass movement, undermining their foundations.<\/li>\n<li>These structures are a testament to local environmental and cultural adaptation over centuries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Damage to Cultural Sites<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>The Kanda tehsil is culturally rich, with traditions of folk music, dance, and handicrafts.<\/li>\n<li>The Kalika Temple, a significant 10th-century religious site in Kanda, has developed cracks due to subsidence, threatening its historical and cultural integrity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><strong>Q.1. What are the environmental concerns of soapstone mining in Bageshwar?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Soapstone mining destabilizes slopes, causing land subsidence and erosion, especially in monsoon-prone loamy soils. Lack of green belts, retaining walls, and safety protocols further exacerbates the issue, impacting both ecosystems and local communities.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Q.2. How has soapstone mining affected cultural heritage in Bageshwar?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The mining has damaged traditional Kumaoni Bakhli houses and historic sites like the Kalika Temple, leading to structural cracks. These impacts threaten the region&#8217;s rich cultural heritage, including its folk traditions and historic architecture.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/soapstone-mining-land-subsidence-bageshwar-uttarakhand-9766906\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IE<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.downtoearth.org.in\/governance\/another-joshimath-in-making-while-soapstone-mining-in-uttarakhands-bageshwar-raises-eyebrows-it-can-sink-some-land-too\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DTE<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how unregulated soapstone mining in Uttarakhand&#8217;s Bageshwar district is causing environmental degradation, land subsidence, and cultural damage. Explore the key challenges and necessary actions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":44440,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-44439","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44439","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44439"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44439\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44439"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44439"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44439"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}