S.K. Singh, ex-Scientist of DRDO and social entreprenuer
Jharkhand is struggling with Resource curse phenomenon. “Resurgence of India” and “Make in India” will be incomplete if a state like Jharkhand is left to merely be a contributor to the economic sustainability without addressing the needs of Nature’s sustainability.
Overview: Jharkhand is seized with multifaceted environmental challenges stemming from changing land use patterns, groundwater depletion, drought vulnerability, wetland degradation, urban forestry issues, and the imperative for regenerative agricultural practices due to unplanned mining activities and especially due to negligence of a sensible mining closure plan. The often termed ‘Resource Curse’ phenomenon, wherein valuable-resource-rich regions experience exploitation, environmental degradation, detrimental health effects, and in some cases a worsening of a region’s economic situation is a major concern because the mining industry will only continue to grow as the energy transition progresses. Besides the climate-related considerations, there is an important economic development and value argument that urges mining growth.
The paradox of the situation is having so many good R&D and Engineering institutions of national fame- like MECON, SAIL, CMPDIL, Indian School of Mines, BIT Sindri, BIT Mesra, IIIT and Jharkhand Technical University in the state, the Engineering interventions needed for sustainability of Jharkhand is missing. It is high time to address the issues of Jharkhand by all the Engineering/ Technology and R&D stakeholders through a calibrated Engineering Interventions in Jharkhand and promote technology development for Nature’s sustainability as Business in general. Emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to effectively to remotely track the activities right from the mining starts to its closure plan for multi-objective optimisation.
Between the years 2020-21 and 2023-24, Jharkhand grew at an average annual rate of 9.1 per cent, while the country grew at an average annual rate of 8.3 percent. The survey gives a positive indication of the state’s intention to make Jharkhand a Rs 10 trillion economy (Rs 10 lakh crore) by 2029-30. Jharkhand’s climate change action plan was envisaged with a vision of achieving economic growth -poverty alleviation objectives and enhancing livelihood opportunities while ensuring environmental sustainability. The state government action plan is mostly confined to combat climate change while keeping the economic sustainability. What is missed out how Jharkhand is worsening the climate change and how the blind and unplanned mining activities it is detrimental to its basic societal objectives. In the name of reducing carbon emission merely promoting a renewable energy is not enough in a state like Jharkhand where the natural resources other than coal will be extracted causing depletion of thermal capacity of the earth and global warming will be affected indirectly.
To address these challenges and to ensure a sustainable future for Jharkhand’s mining industry, a shift towards circular economy practices have been advocated as a promising solution by some people. The circular economy emphasizes the need to decouple economic growth from resource consumption and waste generation. By adopting circular principles in mining operations, such as promoting resource efficiency, recycling, and waste reduction, it becomes possible to maximize the value extracted from minerals while minimizing their environmental footprint.
The circular economy presents a production and consumption model cantered on activities such as sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing items and materials, with the primary goal of extending the lifespan of products. By doing so, the entire life cycle of products is prolonged. This approach effectively aims to minimize waste generation. When a product reaches the end of its functional life, efforts are made to retain its constituent materials within the economic system through recycling. These materials can then be repeatedly utilized in productive processes, thus generating ongoing value. Implementing circular economy principles in the mining industry presents unique challenges and opportunities due to the sector’s heavy reliance on finite natural resources and its significant environmental impact.
Government has its political and social priorities, and it is working in its framework for the sustainability of Jharkhand. What is needed by the Public Sector Units situated in Jharkhand is to reorient the environment groups working inside and treating them as a business unit by solving real-life problems of environment and start the activities for sustainability of Jharkhand. Environmental Engineering Laboratory in MECON is equipped with many sophisticated equipment for data generation and analysis. MECON is the premier organisation for consultancy and design services including Environment. Need of hour for MECON is to walk extra mile and define its Environmental Engineering group as a profitable Business unit as a yearly revenue forecast and use modern and conventional technologies mix and match as needed application to application. Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning/ Deep Learning today is in focus globally to monitor and predict the data of environment concern.
MECON in association with technological institutes within Jharkhand should prepare a roadmap for designing a comprehensive Disruptive Engineering interventions for the sustainability of Jharkhand. Mining activities and revival of rivers in Jharkhand can be taken up immediately as a case study with limited engineering interventions which can spell out more insight on the needs for development of more technological and engineering interventions. This approach can lead MECON counted at national level as a solution provider in Environment with contemporary technologies besides its strength in design and commissioning of plants. – SK Singh
