DIGGING A DISASTER

Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.

ABANDONED HOMES

The persistent dust and noise pollution from mining activities have disrupted daily life, while terrace farming—a common agricultural practice on the nearby mountain slopes—has become difficult. Most houses in the village are now unoccupied.

Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand has vast deposits of khadia or soapstone—a soft silicate rock used in manufacturing paints, paper and cosmetics. The mineral has been mined in the district for decades, but mining operations have begun to show severe environmental impact in recent years.

"The soapstone mines have become a curse and we will lose the entire village. Many houses in the village have developed cracks," says Kesar Singh of Talla Dhapoli village. "It is a matter of time before the land sinks," he adds. Village residents say that earlier the mining was done by hand and was a source of employment to local people. But the arrival of big companies led to mechanisation and intensification of the mining activity.