6 July 2021

The proposed diamond mine in the Buxwaha protected forest region in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh may have a greater ecological impact on the region than projected so far.

The project threatens to further deplete the already scarce water reserve of the drought-prone Bundelkhand region to excavate about five million tonnes of diamond-bearing kimberlite ore per annum.

Diamond mining is a water-intensive process. The water requirement for the Bunder mine and ore processing plant is about 16,050 cubic metres per day (5.9 million cubic meters in a year), according to the pre-feasibility report of the project. The project is estimated go on for 14 years.

The Bunder mining project was awarded to Essel Mining & Industries Limited in 2019. The company, in its application for environmental clearance, stated that to meet water requirements and protect the mine from inundation, a seasonal nullah (stream) will be converted into a dam.

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