Task Force Report - Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Himalayan ...

2.4. OTHER GEORESOUCES
Fig.2.5. Schematic Plan for the Development of other Geo-resources in the IHR
Other
Georesources
Status
Environmental damages due to Mining
Indiscriminate mining in unorganised sector
Fossil-fuels in NE region and uneven distribution within the region
Approach
Restricted operations as per appropriate mountain landuse policy
Adherence to guidelines to restore altered environment
Regular monitoring mechanism
Outcome
Environmental Protection
Less disturbed Landscape
Greater local satisfaction
Process
Mandatory region based impact assessment
Involvement of local bodies and communities in monitoring
Capacity building on mountain engineering, geology, and environmental
restoration
2.4.1. Coal, Petroleum and Minerals
The IHR is endowed with considerable amount
of natural resources and geological wealth. It
accounts for about 25% of hydrocarbon potential
of the country. Large quantities of low ash coal
resources, limestone, dolomite, base metals, clays,
gemstones, chromites, iron ore and various other
minor minerals occur in the IHR (Table 2.9).
Most of the natural gas and oil fields occurring in
the IHR are confined to the north eastern region,
(Arunachal Pradesh - 2 Oil and Gas fields;
Nagaland - 2 Oil fields; Tripura – 9 Gas fields;
Upper Assam 43 Oil and Gas fields). The output
of petroleum products in the region during 2006-
07 has been crude oil (4.51 million tonnes) and
natural gas (3081 million m 3 ). Petroleum retailers,
SKO/LDO dealers, and LPG distribution in the
Himalayan region account for just 4%, 5.1% and
7% of the country’s distribution chain, respectively.
The constraint is not only the topography of the
region but also the counter pressure of demand
from the rest of the country. The question that
arises is why should the need of the IHR not
be addressed first, especially when it is a
producer?
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Report of the Task Force