Rajmahal Hills tribal areas face extinction threat due to rampant mining

Dumka: Indiscriminate stone mining along Rajmahal Hills in Santhal Parganas is not only proving to be detrimental to the local age-old fossils, but is also posing a threat of extinction to the indigenous Pahadiya community.
Sourya Pahadiyas (one of the different sects of the Pahadiya community) of Chhoti Pachrukhi village in Borio block of Sahebganj district are compelled today to live under constant environmental degradation in the area coupled with shrinking opportunities for agriculture and livelihood due to illegal mining.
As explosions are carried out frequently in dozens of stone-mining units in the vicinity, Chhoti Pachrukhi and its surrounding villages have become accustomed to recurrent earth vibrations.
"It feels as if earthquakes are taking place whenever an explosion occurs in the stone quarries around our village. It poses a threat to our thatched cottages," said Surya Pahadiya, a local activist. Dust particles emanating from stone crusher plants are damaging the local flora and fauna as well, he added.
"Due to rampant mining activities, all natural streams on the hilltops have either dried up or on the verge of getting extinct. These used to be the sole source of drinking water and irrigation," said Pahadiya, adding that the practice of his community members to procure forest produce to sell them for sustenance has equally been affected.
Sahebganj and Pakur districts are famous for the existence of rare fossils. According to assistant professor of geology department, Sahebganj College, Ranjeet Kumar, the fossils date back to over one hundred million years.
"It is a matter of serious concern. The rare fossils, which can throw light on the existence of life of that era, are being excavated indiscriminately and transported in large scale to far-off places," he said. Kumar suggested that the indiscriminate mining activity should be immediately stopped to save the endangered tribal groups and the local biodiversity.
Several villages like Chhoti Pachrukhi, Amjola, Pangdo, Dhokuti and Gurmi are facing the menace with the administrative stakeholders turning a blind eye to the issue.
“I am left with no other option but to mobilise locals and forcibly close all illegal mining and crusher plants in Sahebganj district," Lobin Hembrom, JMM MLA from Borio, told TOI over phone. Hembrom recently had launched an agitation by blocking the transportation of stone chips and raising the issue on the floor of the assembly.
District mining officer Vibhuti Kumar denied having any information about the plights of the Pahadiya community. However, he assured that appropriate steps will be taken against illegal mining. “Efforts are also on to stop all kinds of illegal mining,” he added.