A GEOGRAPHICAL APPRAISAL ON THE SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF STONE MINING ON THE LIVELIHOODS IN THE PACHAMI STONE FIELD AREA, MD BAZAR, BIRBHUM DISTRICT

The stone mining industry is an important industry in the country that producing crushed stone of various sizes as raw material for various construction works of our civil society. These industries play a vital role in the socio-economic development and livelihoods of the inhabitants in the country and abroad. The major objective of this research is to evaluate the socio-environmental impacts of stone mining in the context of the Pachami Stone Field of MD Bazar, Birbhum District, West Bengal. The research aims to evaluate the impacts of the stone mining on livelihoods, through using the field surveys and qualitative interviews with the local inhabitants. The research examines the complex connection between stone mining activities and socio-economic factors to reveal the impacts on land use, water resources, and air quality of the study area. The assessment underlines the importance of sustainable stone mining practices to avoid negative impacts on livelihoods of local people especially for tribal people lived in this area. This research investigation is significant in that way to the larger discourse on stone resource management for the welfare of the greater society.