Another Wayanad in making? A Karnataka village’s residents fear environmental fallout from laterite mining
- September 29, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Another Wayanad in making? A Karnataka village’s residents fear environmental fallout from laterite mining
Sub: Geo
Sec: Indian Physical Geo
Context:
- Kallamundkuru village in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district has become a centre of controversy due to large-scale laterite soil mining. This sudden increase in mining activity has raised concerns among environmental activists and locals about its impact on the area’s ecology and people’s livelihoods.
Details:
- Location and Mining Details:
- Kallamundkuru village is in Moodabidri taluk, Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka.
- The laterite layer is at least 30 meters thick, with water-rich loose soil underneath.
- Environmental Concerns:
- The area receives over 400 millimetres of rain annually, with heavy rainfall in July and August.
- Environmentalists worry about soil degradation, water resource depletion, erosion, loss of biodiversity, and disruption of natural water flow.
- There are fears of a disaster similar to recent events in Wayanad, Kerala.
- There are demands for sustainable mining guidelines, including proper land restoration and ongoing environmental monitoring.
Laterite soils in India:
- Laterite soil is a type of soil found in tropical and subtropical regions.
- Formation:
- Laterite soil forms in hot, wet climates through a process called lateralization.
- It’s the result of intense weathering and leaching of parent rock material.
- Composition:
- Rich in iron and aluminium oxides
- Low in silica content
- Often contains minerals like kaolinite, goethite, and gibbsite
- Characteristics:
- Typically reddish or reddish-brown in color due to high iron oxide content
- Can harden significantly when exposed to air and sun
- Generally poor in nutrients for plant growth
- Often has a high clay content
- Distribution:
- Found in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia
- In India, it’s common in states like Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and the hilly areas of Odisha and Assam
- Uses:
- Construction material (when cut into blocks and dried)
- Road construction
- As a source of aluminium and other minerals in some cases
- Agricultural implications:
- Generally considered poor for agriculture due to low fertility
- Requires careful management and fertilization for productive farming
- Environmental concerns:
- Mining of laterite can lead to environmental issues like erosion and habitat destruction
- Removal of laterite can affect local hydrology and soil stability
- Scientific importance:
- Studied for insights into long-term climate changes and geological processes
Source: DTE