Do adverse ecological consequences cause resistance against land acquisition? The experience of mining regions in Odisha, India

In India, there is a long history of protest against land acquisition, which has halted a number of development interventions. The issue has been particularly serious in the state of Odisha, which is mineral-rich but backward, economically. While ongoing debates focus mainly on the price of the land and compensation for, and resettlement of, those uprooted by the proposed changes, the present paper focuses on the potential adverse ecological consequences of mining. Through analysis of primary and secondary data, the study finds that there are more negative impacts on the environment and ecology in mining districts than in the non-mining districts of Odisha. However, potential adverse ecological consequences are a dominant cause of protests against land acquisition for mining in the state.