Nature’s Contributions to People and Ecoprecarity in India’s Mining Landscapes

Mining reshapes ecosystems and affects communities that depend on land and forest resources for their survival. This study examines how mining alters human–nature relationships in India’s extractive regions, with a focus on Adivasi communities. It analyzes two documentaries—Agar Wo Desh Banati (2018), on coal mining in Chhattisgarh, and Behind the Glitter: Child Labour in Mica Mining (2023), on mica mining in Jharkhand—using a qualitative thematic approach. The study applies the Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) framework, together with the concept of ecoprecarity, to examine how environmental disruption is represented and experienced in everyday life. The analysis shows that mining disrupts access to land, forest resources, clean air, water, and cultural relationships with places. These changes are linked to livelihood insecurity, health risks, and intergenerational vulnerability, particularly for women and children. The study argues that extractive development should be understood not only in economic terms but also through its ecological and social consequences for vulnerable communities.