The evaluation of the impacts of mining on Tarambri DPF highlight that although the mining operations are not likely to result in direct impacts associated with land-take for extraction, waste-disposal, rehabilitation of displaced people, and development of infrastructure and utilities, the project is likely to induce several indirect impacts. The northern part of the mine lease area, though fairly degraded and disturbed because of resource extraction and presence of human settlements, serves as an ecological buffer to Tarambri DPF. For small mammals, pheasants and partridges occupying the habitat within the bounds of Tarambri DPF, the northern edge of the mine lease area also provides an additional habitat and foraging ground. The physical alteration of this area abutting the boundary of Tarambri DPF will reduce the viability of the ecological buffer and may lead to probable increase in biotic interference within Tarambri DPF. The influx of labour and workforce may result in increased demands for resources creating additional pressures on Tarambri DPF and risk of illegal access and pilferage of natural resources.

The mitigation strategies for addressing the indirect impacts of mining on Tarambri DPF require careful planning to arrest spatial and temporal changes likely to be induced in its surrounds. The restriction of mining to defined zones within the lease area has been considered as one of the important preventive strategies. In order to safeguard the buffer value of the northern edge of mine lease area for Tarambri DPF, a 800 m wide zone (to be determined based on slope distance) at the interface of Tarambri DPF and the mine lease will have to be kept out of bounds for mining activities.

The suggested plan for restricted mining to mitigate the likely impacts on Tarambri DPF is presented in Fig. 9. Since the boundaries of Tarambri DPF and the mine lease area are not physically demarcated on ground, there could be some discrepancy in the demarcation of the restricted zone and also vis a vis the areas specified for mining in the north block for different years. This may be validated and accordingly rectified by redefining the restricted zone spatially on the mining plan. Clear on-site physical demarcation of boundaries of Tarambri DPF and mine lease area is an essential prerequisite for the delineation of restricted zone and should be taken up as a priority task by the HPFD and project authorities.