Tarambri DPF

The mine lease area comprises of 726 ha of compact block of land sandwiched between Tarambri DPF in the north and Bandli WLS in the south. As per proposed schedule for mining presented in Table 3.1 under the project profile (Chapter 3), the face of the limestone mine shall be opened up initially at village Keran for extraction of limestone from mineralised area of the north block. The formation of 4-6 benches will progress from Keran towards Mulakh Maidan within the lease area upto the lease boundary adjoining Tarambri DPF. It is established from the baseline information that the increased protection afforded to Tarambri DPF has enhanced its habitat potential to support a variety of fauna. Although the mining operations are not likely to result in any of the direct impacts (land-take for extraction, stockpiling or waste disposal; right of use for erection of temporary infrastructure and housing facilities; sites for rehabilitation of populations from Keran and Mulakh Maidan villages), several indirect impacts of secondary nature are anticipated.

Many of the species occupying the habitat within the bounds of Tarambri DPF use the adjoining northern edge of the mine lease which provides a contiguous habitat for animal use and movement. Although the northern part of the mine lease area is fairly degraded and disturbed because of pressure of resource extraction and presence of human settlements, and has limited habitat use even in the no-project scenario, this area within still provides a kind of buffer for absorbing impacts of biotic interferences on Tarambri DPF. The physical alteration of this area and disturbances associated with mining operations will reduce the buffer and threaten the integrity of Tarambri DPF by increasing the probability of biotic interferences in Tarambri DPF.

Influx of labour and workers for the mining operation may result in increased demands for resources creating additional pressures on Tarambri DPF and risk of illegal access and pilferage of natural resources.

The above impacts are likely to negate the objectives of improving protection of Tarambri DPF by specific measures being undertaken by Himachal Pradesh Forest Department (HPFD) and may hamper conservation prospects for many faunal species particularly species of pheasants restricted to habitats in the Himalayan region.

The operation of the mine in the lease area will lead to the inevitable evacuation of villages and subsequent rehabilitation in alternative sites. Due to non availability of details of R&R package at the time of this study, it is not possible to visualise the nature of shifts in resource dependencies of the villages - Behli, Bagain, Keran and Mulakh Maidan located in the proposed mine lease area. As is evident from the baseline studies, these villages have high dependency for fuel, small timber and fodder on the resources of the lease area. Their ghasnis or pastureland as well as government charagan (pastures) for grazing their livestock and extracting fodder resources are also located in the proposed mining lease. Therefore, the evacuation of these villages and subsequent rehabilitation are likely to create significant resource pressures in other areas that may or may not include Tarambri DPF and Bandli WLS depending on the provisions of the rehabilitation plan.

Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary

As per proposed schedule for mining presented in Table 3.1 under the project profile (Chapter 3), the mineable reserve of the south block shall be extracted only after extracting resources from the north block. For extraction of limestone from the reserve in the south block, a mine face shall be opened near village Bari which is located about 2.5 km from the boundary of Bandli WLS. The mining operation in the southern block would start from Bari and progress with 4-6 benches constructed towards the southern edge of the proposed mine lease area. As per details provided in the project profile and from information generated by baseline studies of the proposed project area, it becomes evident that southern edge of the mine lease area extends to less than 1000 m from the northern boundary of Bandli WLS.

Considering the importance of Bandli WLS as a valued ecosystem for conservation of threatened species of mammals such as the leopard (Panthera pardus), leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), the black bear (Ursus thibetanus) and avifaunal components particularly pheasant species such as the Cheer pheasant (Catreus walichii), the evaluation of impacts of the proposed project focused more specifically on identifying major threats to its integrity as a Protected Area (PA) and changes in landscape and habitat features and diversity of species. Bandli WLS is separated from the mine lease area by a natural barrier of a hillock and by intervening valley occupied by human habitation in villages such as Maloh. The impacts of mining are therefore not likely to directly threaten the integrity of the PA. Based on the available mine plan and the mine sections provided by the project authorities, the mining would be restricted to defined limits of existing Bagain village and specified face on the hill slope overlooking Bandli WLS. Any attempt towards progressing mining beyond the specified limits within the mine lease area may reduce the protection and barrier function of the intervening hillock and valley area.

In the existing scenario, the landscape surrounding Bandli WLS is dotted with as many as fifty-four villages already posing a major challenge for conservation. A human population of over 13,800 people living in fifty-four villages in and around Bandli WLS (Annexure – V) and nearly 9000 livestock (Annexure – VI) depend on the Sanctuary for biodiversity resources for sustenance. It is feared that Bandli WLS may become a receptor of additional impacts of resource demands from oustees of the mine lease area and from influx of work force for mining activities. The increasing human intervention in and around the Sanctuary may further restrict habitat use by animals particularly for species with specialised habitat requirements and higher sensitivity to disturbance. The HPFD has already initiated eco-development planning (Annexure – VII) for reducing impacts of pressures from the surrounding villages on Bandli WLS. The changing ground realities with new dimensions of ecological impacts from development activities including that from the proposed project would need to be incorporated in eco-development planning for the Sanctuary for effective conservation measures.