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The ravine is often regarded as the worst instance of how water erosion is causing land deterioration. The farmers' livelihoods are often threatened by the ravine's expansion into the surrounding 50 m buffer zone, leaving them with no choice except to work as landless workers. Due to the high expense of ravine restoration, it is not economically possible to begin the process of reclamation in all of the ravine lands at once. As a result, it is necessary to recognize the prospective regions to bring in reclamation activities. In this work, the ravine vulnerability index for the Mahi ravine in Western India was developed using a cutting‐edge hybrid methodology. For the development of the ravine vulnerability index, it was determined that the sand, silt, clay, organic carbon, soil erodibility factor, slope, stream power index, topographic wetness index, sediment transport index, and cover factor were crucial components. Weights were applied to various parameters based on the perceived significance of each parameter in relation to another in the decision matrix of the analytical hierarchical process. The number of iterations made to reach a consistency ratio of under 10% to determine the final priority weights for each parameter. The sediment transport index had the lowest priority weight (1.4), whereas the sand had the highest priority weight (28.5). For reclamation purposes, the prospective active zones inside the designated ravine's 50‐m buffer zone, which covered an area of 63,031 acres, were determined. According to the ground truth‐validated ravine vulnerability index, possible reclamation zones were found in the 16,703 ha (26.50%) region of Mahi ravine, which was given extremely high priority. As per the Mahi ravine's land capacity classification, 20,275 ha (32.16%) of it is arable land, and 18,687 ha (29.65%) of it is non‐arable land that is ideal for soil and water conservation treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water structures are sites of collective memory and have a vital role in providing ecosystem services in India. An alternative model of water sensitive urban design based upon the conceptual framework of regenerative urbanism is proposed in Ayodhya, a pilgrim town in Northern India. Reclamation of water bodies is salient to planning the soft infrastructure of blue-greenways for regenerating degraded sites and prevents loss of collective memories and place rituals, both significant forms of intangible heritage. With a focus on the urban periphery of Ayodhya, the article discusses water structures as sites of mythic memory, their current condition and context, and their potential as nodes in community spaces and green corridors of pilgrim movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open-cast coal mining is one of the most often-debated industries in the world. Due to the significant environmental and health issues it causes, many of these sites have been reclaimed over the years, and many scientific publications and research has followed. In this paper, we have tried to assess the trends in recent research performed on reclaimed coal mining sites (RMS) by analyzing the publications visible on Web of Science (WoS) between 2015 and 2020 and dividing the research into six categories. The results show that there is a trend of rapid increase in research that deals with carbon and its pooling, nutrients, vegetation, and microbiology, and a significant decline in research on RMS soil physical properties, whereas other categories have shown an increasing but relatively steady trend. The application of modern technologies is also discussed. China, the USA, and India are the countries that quantitatively take the lead in coal RMS research, with India slowly overtaking the US in more recent years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil sodicity leads to land deterioration that strongly alters the soil properties and consequently crop productivity. Sustainable management of municipal solid waste (MSW) is another emerging challenge. Combined use of MSW compost enriched with sulphur and gypsum can provide a convincing solution for ameliorating sodic soils and sustaining crop productivity. In this context, a controlled condition study was carried out on composting of MSW alone and its enrichment with elemental sulphur and gypsum followed by evaluation of the efficiency of MSW compost and products of its enrichment for amelioration of sodic soil. A pot experiment was conducted during 2019-20 to 2020-21 at Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India on two levels of soil sodicity, namely, highly sodic soil with pH2 of 10.09 and moderate sodic soil with pH2 of 8.72 to evaluate the efficacy of sulphur and gypsum enriched MSW compost on sodic soil reclamation and sustainable yield production of wheat. Four treatments (MSW+ES, MSW+ES+G, MSW+G and MSW compost alone) were applied in different doses in sodic soils under consideration. MSW+ES and MSW+ES+G significantly reduced the soil pH2 up to 13.5 and 13.3%, respectively, Na+ up to 32 and 30% and enhanced grain yield about 44 and 37.2%, respectively, as compared to control (non-amended soil). Out of all amended doses, D3 (@300 g/15 kg soil) was found most effective in reducing pH2 and Na+ about 13.8 and 30.6% respectively. This study has proved that MSW enriched with sulphur can be used as an effective solution for improving soil physico-chemical properties and crop productivity of sodic soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is facing economic losses of $US ~ 3.0 billion annually due to the existence of ~ 6.73 million ha of un‐reclaimed salt‐affected soils (SASs). The losses may go up significantly as future projections indicate an increase in the area of SASs to the extent of ~16 million ha by 2050, due to the impact of faulty irrigation practices and climate change. Managing the SASs is one of the major challenges in achieving land degradation neutrality, increasing crop productivity, and sustaining food security in India. Although the problem of SASs has been reduced to some extent through various technological interventions yet further efforts are needed for developing new avenues to further improve the productivity and restrict the expansion of salinity to new areas. The major interventions including application of various ameliorants, growing salt‐tolerant crops and cultivars, installation of sub‐surface drainage, adoption of alternate land‐use systems, and use of land shaping techniques have made significant impact nation‐wide in term of reclamation and productivity enhancement. Despite the achieved success in restoring the productivity of SASs, several constraints at the regional and national level have plagued the reclamation progress. The objective of this review is to compile relevant information available on the use and success of technological interventions to restore SASs. The emerging challenges, and the strategies that would be needed to address the problem of SASs in India are also discussed. This review may help India achieve the Sustainable Development Goals outlined by the UN for land degradation neutrality and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mining industry of India contributes substantially to the economic development of the country. Despite the economic boost and the employment opportunities it creates, it has faced the flak of environmentalists owing to its environmental hazards. It is a potential threat to the ecosystem and biodiversity and there is an exigency to attain a rational balance between the mining activity and environment with an ultimate aim to achieve sustainable development. The present paper discusses the different techniques employed for mining and their individual environmental challenges, the statutes governing mining in India and the significance of rehabilitation and reclamation measures to combat the environmental threats. The environmental risks posed by the mining activity are catastrophic and there is an exigency to attain a rational balance between the mining activity and environment with an ultimate aim to achieve sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I explore how contemporary Indian artist Pushpamala N. challenges colonial photography of Indigenous peoples and exposes its anachronistic portrayal of history. Focusing on three photographs from her series 'Native Women of South India' (2000-2004), I discuss the ways that Pushpamala transforms herself into both the exoticized and essentialised 'native' and the anthropologist, using mise en scène, performance and mimicry to reject dominant colonial misrepresentations. Her work thus casts a critical light on the use of pseudoscience by colonial anthropologists to control and create imagined distinctions between western and Indigenous bodies. Recreating a series of these nineteenth-century photographs, Pushpamala captures the everchanging and constantly evolving nature of female identity, exploring marginalisation through a feminist lens and opening the wounds of India's colonial past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study area, located in the western side of Kerala State, South India, is a part of Vembanad-Kol wetlands – the largest estuary in India's western coastal wetland system and one of the Ramsar Sites of Kerala. Major portion of this estuary comes under the Ernakulam district which includes the Cochin City – the business and Industrial hub of Kerala, which has seen fast urbanization since independence (1947). Recently, this region is subjected to a characteristic fast urban sprawl, whereas, the estuarine zone is subjected to tremendous land use/land cover changes (LULC). Periodic monitoring of the estuary is essential for the formulation of viable management options for the sustainable utilization of this vital environmental resource. Remote sensing coupled with GIS applications has proved to be a useful tool in monitoring wetland changes. In the present study, the changes this estuarine region have undergone from 1944 to 2009 have been monitored with the help of multi-temporal satellite data. Estuarine areas were mapped with the help of Landsat MSS (1973), Landsat ETM (1990) and IRS LISS-III (1998 and 2009) using visual interpretation and digitization techniques in ArcGIS 9.3 Environment. The study shows a progressive decrease in the estuarine area, the reasons of which are identified chronologically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper argues that the mutually enforcing processes of enclosure of land and entanglement of labour have been central to the development of state and capitalism in Kuttanad, a protected Ramsar site in the south Indian state of Kerala. The driving force of epochal changes in Kuttanad was the transformations of the commons; different regimes that ruled Kuttanad have actively engaged in the appropriation, distribution and production of commons along with and for the dominant sections in the region. Reclamation and re-reclamation of backwater lands, spanning over one and half centuries, are thus carried out by the distributive state apparatus in collaboration with its constituent class sections. The resultant shifts in land, crop, labour, technology and resources are what define the crisis of commons in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, thermal power plants presently produce of coal ash per annum, which is projected to exceed per annum by 2030. This huge quantity of coal ash not only has tremendous environmental concerns but also occupies large areas of land for its dumping, requiring urgent and appropriate measures for its safe disposal and gainful utilization on sustainable basis. In addition, reclamation of a vast area of wasteland for agriculture and forestry is another challenge for the country's fast-growing population. The Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research has carried out a detailed study on the bulk utilization of coal ash in agriculture and forestry sectors under different agroclimatic conditions and soil types for last two decades. The demonstration studies for the popularization purpose were carried out in the waste/alkaline lands of farmers' fields and the results of such investigations are reported in this paper. The productivity of various crops grown in the ash-amended treatments substantially showed increased yield (20-45%) over control, with noticeable increase in the nutrient content of crop produce, early maturity of the crops grown, and improvement in the nutrient status/biological activity of the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forests of the Sundarbans, located in the southernmost parts of West Bengal in India and south-western Bangladesh, remain synonymous with the Royal Bengal Tiger and, to some extent, the mangrove forests unique to South Asia. The principal strands in the story of the region centre around the contest between the tiger and the forest dweller—in other words, the conflict between and co-existence of man and nature. This struggle took the form of reclamation and of putting the forests to the plough. Down the ages there have been several efforts to reclaim forests and set up human habitation in this region. Before the advent of British rule in India most were individual efforts. Those made during British rule were largely successful in bringing in people of various origins into the region. Despite the slow pace of development compared to the rest of Bengal, the face of the Sundarbans then changed forever. Changes in settlement patterns and the stratification of society led to changes in human relations. The region suffered denudation and deforestation. In fact, ultimately as social stratification increased and exploitation intensified, tensions exploded in the form of the Tebhaga movement (1946). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The high-sulfur containing coalmine overburden (OB) dumping ground of the Tirap colliery under the northeastern coalfields in Assam, India, was reclaimed by phytoremediation techniques. Native plant species were planted with line and field methods and by amending with cow dung and unmined soil. In this study, the changes in microbial activity of the reclaimed mine OB wasteland of the Tirap colliery are examined. The enzyme activities of urease, dehydrogenase, and phosphatase were compared over time. Improvements in soil pH, bulk density, and water-holding capacity in the mine OB were found. After four years of reclamation, 1.01% of particles were soil sized (=0.255 mm grain size) with the maximum degradation in the mine OB grain sizes of −20 mm to +12 mm and of +25 mm. A 1,000-fold increase in microbial colony forming units (CFU) in the four years at the remediated site along with an increase in total DNA were evident for the mine OB reclaimed sites. The increase of microbial CFUs in the mine OB was related to a 100- to 2,000-fold increase in enzyme activity for the reclaimed areas. From this investigation, it can be concluded that the improvement of enzyme activities and the increase in microbial populations of reclaimed mine OB will yield information pertaining to the reclamation index of mine OB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, coalmine overburden (OB) dumps are reclaimed by forestry reclamation approach (FRA), thus selection of appropriate tree species is essential for the reclamation success. In the present study, screening of tree species was done based on natural mycorrhizal association, metal tolerance, and amelioration of minesoil properties. The study showed that tree plantation improves the moisture content, bulk density, pH, and the overall nutrient contents of minesoils. Trees possessing high levels of mycorrhiza colonisation (Dalbergia sissoo, Acacia auriculiformis and Cassia seamea) were found to be most suitable for FRA. The study infers that the stress condition of minesoils encourages higher mycorrhizal colonisation than natural soil. Acidic pH in minesoils increases the bioavailability of metals but their concentrations were found within toxic limits. The results of this study underscore the need for close monitoring of trace elements in reclaimed OB dumps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree plantation is a proven strategy to improve the salt-affected soils. However, the efficiency of trees to reclaim the soil varies from species to species. This study was therefore, carried out with the objective of assessing the efficiency of 3-yr old plantations of Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) D.C. (Mesquite), Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm. (Forest Red Gum) and Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. Ex. D.C. (Indian Rosewood) to improve the sodic soil characteristics in Sultanpur districts of Uttar Pradesh, India (26°10′-26°23′N, 81°50′-82°5′E). Soil samples collected from six depths; 0.0-0.1, 0.1-0.3, 0.3-0.6, 0.6-0.9, 0.9-1.2 and 1.2-1.5 m below the surface, were analysed for chemical and physical properties by following standard methods. The infiltration rate (IR) was determined by double concentric infiltrometer and the permeability by constant head permeameter. The trees were measured for their girth at breast height (at 1.33 m from ground) and crown area within a 100 × 100 m sector at each of the sites selected. There were decreases in soil pH (from 10.06 to 9.64) and exchangeable sodium percentage (from 70.6 to 26.9) at the P. juliflora plantation relative to the E. tereticornis and D. sissoo plantations. The organic carbon and nitrogen content increased from 2.0 and 0.18 g/kg to 3.9 and 0.45 g/kg under P. juliflora at the surface (0.0-0.1 m) layer. There was also more exchangeable Ca, Mgand K at exchange sites and a reduction in exchangeable Na 3 yr after establishing the plantations. There was a significant decrease in surface soil (0.1 m) bulk density from 1.66 to 1.37 (t/m) but an increase in porosity from 41.2 to 46.3% and water holding capacity from 4.3 to 4.8 g/kg. The IR and soil permeability also increased after 3 yr of tree growth. Prosopis juliflora proved more effective than E. tereticornis and D. sissoo in its ability to enrich a sodic soil with organic matter and establishing better soil-water characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rate and intensity of land use land cover (LULC) change has increased considerably during the past couple of decades. Mining brings significant alterations in LULC specifically due to its impact on forests. Parts of Central India are well endowed with both forests and minerals. Here, the conflict between human interests and nature has intensified over time. Monitoring and assessment of such conflicts are important for land management and policy making. Remote sensing and Geographical Information System have the potential to serve as accurate tools for environmental monitoring. Understanding the importance of landscape metrics in land use planning is challenging but important. These metrics calculated at landscape, class, and patch level provide an insight into changing spatiotemporal distribution of LULC and ecological connectedness. In the present study, geospatial tools in conjunction with landscape metrics have been used to assess the impact of coal mining on habitat diversity. LULC maps, change detection analysis, and landscape metrics have been computed for the four time periods (1972, 1992, 2001, and 2006). There has been a significant decline in forest cover especially of the Sal-mixed forests, both in area as well as quality, due to flouted mining regulations. Reclamation of mined lands has also been observed in some of the areas since 2001. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing dependence on coal-fired power plants for electrical generation in many countries presents ongoing environmental challenges. Burning pulverized coal in thermal power plants (TPPs) generates large amounts of fly ash (FA) that must be disposed of or otherwise handled, in an environmentally-sound manner. A possible option for dealing with fly ash is to use it as an amendment for mine spoil or other damaged soil. It has been demonstrated through studies in India and other countries that FA alone or in combination with organic or inorganic materials can be used in a productive manner for reclamation of mine spoil. The characteristics of FA, including silt-sized particles, lighter materials with low bulk density (BD), higher water holding capacity, favorable pH and significant concentrations of many essential plant nutrients, make it a potentially favorable amendment for mine spoil reclamation. Studies have indicated that the application of FA has improved the physical, chemical and biological qualities of soil to which it is applied. The release of trace metals and soluble salts from FA could be a major limitation to its application. This is particularly true of fresh, un-weathered FA or acidic FA, although perhaps not a concern for weathered/pond ash or alkaline FA. Some potential contaminants, especially metals and other salt ions, could be immobilized and rendered biologically inert by the addition of certain inorganic and organic amendments. However, in view of the variability in the characteristics of FAs that are associated with location, feed coal, combustion conditions and other factors, the suitability of a particular FA for a specific soil/mine spoil needs to be critically evaluated before it is applied in order to maximize favorable results and eliminate unexpected consequences. FA generated in India tends to be mostly alkaline, with lower levels of trace elements than are often found in FAs from other countries. The concentrations of potential chemical stressors, predominantly metals, in Indian FAs are often less than established or proposed permissible limits and are thus better suited for soil application. A major logistic limitation to the use of FA could be the cost involved in transport of ash from production to utilization sites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article informs that indiscriminate destruction of mangroves in Goa, India, over centuries, mainly by way of land reclamation for agricultural purposes, has led to existence of 18500 ha of reclaimed inter-tidal lands, locally known as Khazan Lands. In the unreclaimed areas too, mangroves degradation took place due to biotic interferences. In the year 1985-1986, mangrove restoration works were initiated in Goa to restore degraded mangroves occurring along the estuaries in the form of narrow strip. Indiscriminate Conversion of inter-tidal lands has also deprived local communities from getting tangible benefits like fuelwood, fodder, timber, etc. from the mangroves. To tackle the situation, long term planning is necessary. It is worthwhile to conduct survey for collection of precise information on extent, ownership, current use, potential use, encroachment, socio-economic dependence, salinity, tidal regime, flora, fauna, etc. Mangroves are salt tolerant plants which grow along the sheltered coastlines between the level of high water of spring tide and a level close to but above mean sea level and found in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Mangrove ecosystem consists of inter-tidal flora, fauna and surrounding environment. Mangroves play an important role in stabilization of the coastlines by preventing soil erosion, support marine organism by providing them food and shelter, act as windbreaker and habitat for the wildlife.

Biological reclamation on a 10-year-old mine spoil at Alkusha–Gopalpur, Raniganj Coalfield, Eastern India was carried out during 1992. Effects have been measured yearly in terms of species suitability, spoil chemical quality, and biodiversity of natural succession till 1997. It has been determined that out of 14 plant species selected for reclamation, the successful ones are Acacia auriculoformis, Acacia arabica, Albizzia lebbek, Leucena leucocephala, and Gmelina arborea. Impaired pH, available mass nutrients (N, P, K), organic carbon, exchangeable cations and cation exchange capacity have been found to increase whereas trace elements have been found to decrease. There is an indirect relationship between the survival percentage and trace element intake capacity of the planted saplings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodic soils of northwestern India (under common property rights) having three different types of management for 20 years (fencing, occasional cultivation, reclamation with gypsum) and an adjoining non-sodic soil, were compared for changes in selected soil physical and chemical properties. Fencing resulted in growth of perennial vegetation and the large biomass so produced led to self-reclamation of the surface horizon. All treatments resulted in considerable decrease in pH, EC, and ESP of the pedons. However, in the subsurface horizons pH and ESP remained in the sodic range even after 20 years of reclamation with gypsum or due to accumula tion of perennial vegetation biomass. In sodic soils under common property rights, where systematic reclamation with chemical amendments is not feasible, simple fencing or occasional cultivation on a long-term basis may slowly result in reclamation of such lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A Techno-economic analysis of a mechanical reclamation process for the waste foundry sand is conducted. • A multi-stakeholder analysis is presented for the new foundry sand ecosystem that adopts the proposed reclamation technology. • A plant size of 1 ton h −1 showed promising potential with NPV (₹57.21 million or $ 0.76 million), IRR (29.78%), and BCR (5.48). • A foundry that uses the reclaimed sand, instead of the fresh one, showed an annual saving of 10.80 million ($0.144 million). This article presents a holistic approach to promote waste foundry sand (WFS) reclamation in India by designing a framework for a multistakeholder approach that combines resources, technology, and potential market. The scale of WFS generation and dumping is estimated based on a survey, and a solution is proposed that integrates WFS collection and sand reclamation technology for foundry sand ecosystem development. The study further examined the economic feasibility of a mechanical reclamation process for WFS, using indicators such as net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), discounted payback period (DPBP), and benefit-cost ratio (BCR). A sand reclamation plant of 1 ton h −1 capacity showed promising economics, and the NPV, IRR, DPBP, and BCR were found to be ₹57.21 million ($0.76 million), 29.78%, 2.82 years, and 5.48, respectively. All the operating, manpower, raw material, and utility costs reasonably influence the economics of the reclamation process. In parallel, sensitivity and uncertainty analyses were carried out using a Monte Carlo simulation to understand the influence of the above-mentioned indicators on the economics of the process. This uncertainty analysis predicted an average NPV of ₹56.55 ± 2 million ($0.75 ± 0.027 million). The castings made up of reclaimed sand appeared to be cost competitive at the reclaimed sand price in the range of ₹1000–2000 ton−1 ($13.33–26.67 ton−1). Overall, the designed framework appears to encourage reduction in WFS disposal and promotion of reclaimed sand in Indian foundries. Policy interventions are suggested to promote the proposed solution in its initial phase. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface coal mining activities have numerous consequences on terrestrial ecosystems. Loss of soil and biomass carbon pool due to mining activities is a serious concern in the rapidly changing environment. We investigated the effect of fast-growing trees (Albizia lebbeck, Albizia procera, and Dalbergia sissoo) on soil fertility and ecosystem carbon pool after eight years of afforestation in the post-mining land of Jharia coalfield, India, and compared with the adjacent natural forest site. Significant differences in soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) stocks in afforested mine soil and natural forest soils were observed. Greater SOC stock was found under D. sissoo (30.17 Mg·C·ha−1) while total N stock was highest under A. lebbeck (4.16 Mg·N·ha−1) plantation. Plant biomass accumulated 85% of the natural forest carbon pool after eight years of afforestation. The study concluded that planting fast-growing trees in post-mining lands could produce a promising effect on mine soil fertility and greater carbon storage in a short period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]