2015-Sustainable Industrial Processing Summit
SIPS 2015 Volume 4: Meech Intl. Symp. / Mining Operations
| Editors: | Kongoli F, Veiga MM, Anderson C |
| Publisher: | Flogen Star OUTREACH |
| Publication Year: | 2015 |
| Pages: | 275 pages |
| ISBN: | 978-1-987820-27-0 |
| ISSN: | 2291-1227 (Metals and Materials Processing in a Clean Environment Series) |
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Geo-Hydrological Evaluation of Mining Clusters in Western Kachchh, Gujarat, India
B. Anjan Kumar Prusty1; Vijay Kumar V1;1GUJARAT INSTITUTE OF DESERT ECOLOGY (GUIDE), Bhuj, India;
Type of Paper: Regular
Id Paper: 378
Topic: 4
Abstract:
Western Kachchh region in India is undergoing massive industrialization thereby increasing pressures on various natural resources of the regions. Of the 21 minerals found in Gujarat state, Kachchh district is endowed with lignite, bauxite, bentonite, limestone, kaolinite, gypsum, siderite, sandstone, trap, sand and brick-earth. The region has several opencast mines (lignite, bauxite and limestone), and indeed creates conducive situation for various industries to come up in the area, and indeed more than two dozen mineral based industries have been functioning in the region. Lignite reserve of the district is 300 MT locked up in different locations spreading in approximately 1200 km2, which has attracted large mining companies to set up their units in the region. Major concentrations of these economically valuable minerals (lignite, bauxite, bentonite, and fossilized limestone) are located in the Western part of Kachchh district. The region is unique in having dryland ecosystems and its associated biodiversity (Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary, Lala Bustard Sanctuary). This kind of aggressive industrialization could be a threat for sustenance of the unique ecosystems in the region. The area has a large population of rural poor, and is dependent on the natural resource base of the region for their livelihood and sustenance. This conflicting interest of industrial development and natural resource base calls for a holistic management approach to achieve a trade-off between developmental imperatives and sustainable management of natural resource. Thus, it is imperative to have an effective environmental plan for the area, which included various environmental segments and aspects.
The present paper briefs about the outcomes of a geo-hydrological assessment of the Western Kachchh region carried out during 2008-2010. In total, 53 well were monitored for pre and post monsoon season during 2008. The wells were prioritized based on their functional status, and other criteria were: i) type of well, ii) total depth of water, iii) usage pattern, iv) usage type, and v) geomorphology and landform characteristics. Water level fluctuations in the well were recorded during both the seasons and water samples were also collected for understating the ionic composition. The basic characterization included pH, EC, TDS, and the chemical parameters included alkalinity and hardness. In addition, cations (Ca, Mg, Na and Fe) and anions (HCO3, Cl and NO3) were also measured in the water following standard methods. Primary and secondary data were used for preparing various thematic maps to understand the geo‐hydrological characteristics of the study area, water level and water quality maps. Field data were plotted on base map and subjected to triangle method, and subsequently Iso‐water level and Iso‐TDS contour maps were drawn. In this case Iso‐water level was prepared for the year 2008 where as Iso-TDS maps were prepared for pre and post monsoon season of 2008. In addition recharge potential map was also prepared for the area by integrating thematic maps on lithology, landform and drainage maps. A great variation in Static Water Level (SWL) could be noticed, as the SWL in Akri Mota cluster was from 02 to 06 meters and in Mata-na-Madh cluster the SWL was 10 meters and at certain locations it was as low as 70 meters. Further the total water demand of the area was estimated to be 15.47 Mm3. The order of sectors (major players / water consumers) in term of decreasing water demand in the area was Agriculture (12.45 Mm3) > Industries (1.40 Mm3) > Livestock (1.03) > Human being (0.59 Mm3). Most of the wells under the study experiences around 66% improvement in the TDS level during post-monsoon. This signifies the need for proper land management and restoration, which has been grossly affected by mining and associated activities.
Keywords:
Dryland, geo-hydrology, mining, static water level, western KachchhReferences:
[1] GWRDC. Hydrogeological data of Gujarat State, 1999, Gujarat Water Resources Development Corporation, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.[2] C. Srinivas, S. Sethi, S. Bhatia, C. Biswas, R. Sachdeva and Y. Jadeja. Water resources in Kachchh: Spatial planning for scarcity, sustainability and security. Pp. 23-58. In. State of Environment in Kachchh, 2011. Ed. K Kathju, V Vijay Kumar, G A Thivakaran, P Patel and V Devi, Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, Gandhinagar, and Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE), Bhuj, 180 pp.