Geospatial Effect on the Mining Operation in Joda/Barbil Area of Odisha, India

Abstract

The study aims to investigate the Geospatial effect on the extraction operation in Joda and Barbil mining areas of Keonjhar district, Odisha, India. Present work involves the topography, soil, climate, and stratigraphy investigation of the area. The acquisition of Landsat 8 TIRS (Thermal Infrared), Landsat 5 TM (Thematic Mapper), and CARTOSAT DEM data of temporal and spatial satellite images from various websites. ARC GIS and ERDAS IMAGINE 9.2 software used to find the land use and land cover images (accuracy average 90%). Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Surface air Temperature (SAT) of Barbil area for 2003, 2007, 2017 and 2018 have been estimated. Comparison of the results have shown that, there is increase in built up, and mining areas whereas the agricultural land and vegetation cover are down scaled. There is constant average SAT rise of 1-2°C in all the land cover classification between 2007 and 2018. The NDVI values show conversion of sparse from dense vegetation in the area. Poor operational strategies in mines operation, like corruption, illegal mining, lack of accountability, overburden wastes/ trailing disposal, ecologic degradation, waterlogging in mine pits, and human rights violations are the root causes of environmental deterioration of the study area. It is pertinent to implement strictly, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, India, 2021, regular GIS application to assess the mines volume of extraction, strict vigilance and fixation of accountability for losses of existing mines values, and afforestation/ reforestation of degraded/lost forests in Barbil area.