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Abstract <p>An assessment of the environmental impacts of coal mining in the Raniganj block, West Bengal, India, was undertaken with emphasis on soil health, agricultural sustainability, and local ecosystems. Although mining supports economic growth, degradation of soil fertility, water resources, and vegetation cover was observed. Core soil properties were measured across six Gram Panchayats (GPs) within the mining–industrial area and at a control site located about 90&#xa0;km away, outside mining–industrial influence. Terrain controls and vulnerable zones were mapped using remote sensing (RS)–GIS morphometry from high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (CARTOSAT-1, ASTER GDEM, and SRTM). Soil particle morphology was characterised by Scanning Electron Microscopy with ImageJ analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to identify the dominant drivers of fertility variation, and a Soil Quality Index (SQI) was computed and compared to rank risk across GPs. Marked variability was recorded: pH ranged from 5.38 to 8.82, organic carbon from 0.31 to 0.99%, and available nitrogen (N) from 182.0 to 508.06&#xa0;kg/ha, with the highest SQI observed at Jemeri GP. The study’s novelty lies in the integration of multivariate statistics with RS–GIS products to quantify agricultural consequences of mining, followed by SDG-aligned reclamation strategies, including phytoremediation, hydroponics, and aquaponics. By aligning soil health assessment with relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, actionable pathways are offered to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship, and a replicable framework is provided for mining regions in India and elsewhere.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>

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Coal, soil, and survival: unraveling the agricultural consequences of mining area in India

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月11日

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  • Ayan Saha,
  • Dibyendu Saha,
  • Md Nazir,
  • Kushal Roy,
  • Uday Das

摘要

Abstract

An assessment of the environmental impacts of coal mining in the Raniganj block, West Bengal, India, was undertaken with emphasis on soil health, agricultural sustainability, and local ecosystems. Although mining supports economic growth, degradation of soil fertility, water resources, and vegetation cover was observed. Core soil properties were measured across six Gram Panchayats (GPs) within the mining–industrial area and at a control site located about 90 km away, outside mining–industrial influence. Terrain controls and vulnerable zones were mapped using remote sensing (RS)–GIS morphometry from high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (CARTOSAT-1, ASTER GDEM, and SRTM). Soil particle morphology was characterised by Scanning Electron Microscopy with ImageJ analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to identify the dominant drivers of fertility variation, and a Soil Quality Index (SQI) was computed and compared to rank risk across GPs. Marked variability was recorded: pH ranged from 5.38 to 8.82, organic carbon from 0.31 to 0.99%, and available nitrogen (N) from 182.0 to 508.06 kg/ha, with the highest SQI observed at Jemeri GP. The study’s novelty lies in the integration of multivariate statistics with RS–GIS products to quantify agricultural consequences of mining, followed by SDG-aligned reclamation strategies, including phytoremediation, hydroponics, and aquaponics. By aligning soil health assessment with relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, actionable pathways are offered to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship, and a replicable framework is provided for mining regions in India and elsewhere.

Graphical abstract