Mineral resources are fundamental to the country's economy and these are exploited by mining. Why is mining considered an environmental hazard? Explain the remedial measures required to reduce the environmental hazard due to mining.

Extends the mining-hazard argument to the deep seabed and gives precautionary remedies.

• The deep ocean is poorly understood, so large-scale seabed disturbance has unpredictable effects; Indian surveys have recorded about 1,300 deep-sea organisms, including around 23 new species.
• Note that sediment plumes and noise damage slow-recovering ecosystems, and losses may be permanent.
• P. Ragavan argues India should build environmental baselines, set a high ecological threshold for mining and prioritise recycling; the ISA mining code is not yet finalised.

Use the Niyamgiri bauxite proposal as an example of mining's ecological and social costs in forested tribal headwaters, and of consent-based remedies.

• The Niyamgiri hills of Rayagada and Kalahandi hold an estimated 72 to 88 million tonnes of bauxite, sought by Vedanta's Lanjigarh refinery, but are sacred to the Dongria Kondh, a PVTG.
• Mining here carries ecological costs to forests and headwaters, and threatens a community whose identity and livelihood are tied to the hills and streams.
• Remedial approach: return any fresh proposal to gram sabhas with full, prior and informed disclosure, independently assess Forest Rights Act claims, and use benefit-sharing such as District Mineral Foundations.