Environmental Consequences of Mining in Balaghat (M.P.): Assessing Land-Use Change, Air Pollution and Water Contamination

Mining activities in Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh, have long been central to regional economic development, yet their environmental and socio-cultural repercussions remain underexplored in qualitative terms. This study investigates the intertwined impacts of land-use change, air pollution, and water contamination through an environmental justice and political ecology lens. Fieldwork in selected villages—Dongri, Pauniya, Hirapur, and Tirodi—involved semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, participatory mapping, and document analysis of government and non-governmental sources. Findings reveal that land loss is both a spatial and cultural displacement, air pollution is experienced as a seasonal and sensory intrusion affecting health and agriculture, and water contamination erodes trust in official monitoring while disproportionately increasing women’s labour burdens. A persistent gap between policy narratives and lived realities points to governance deficits, limited procedural justice, and underrepresentation of vulnerable groups in decision-making. The study concludes that sustainable mining governance in Balaghat requires participatory monitoring, gender-sensitive rehabilitation measures, and culturally grounded policy interventions to bridge trust deficits and promote equitable environmental management.