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Mining project threatens rare Jeypore ground gecko in Odisha
Why in News?
Just four geckos sighted in a year: the Balda hills bauxite clash behind Prelims species-and-habitat questions
Only four individuals of the endangered Jeypore ground gecko have been documented in the past year in Odisha's Balda hills, the site of a proposed bauxite mine. Local Adivasis have protested against the mine for two years, asserting that it is their ancestral land.
Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 min read
Only four individuals of the endangered Jeypore ground gecko have been documented in the past year in Odisha's Balda hills, the site of a proposed bauxite mine.
Local Adivasis have protested against the mine for two years, asserting that it is their ancestral land.
Sources: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
Key facts
Remember these
- Only four individuals of the endangered Jeypore ground gecko were documented in the past year in Odisha's Balda hills.
- The Balda hills are the site of a proposed bauxite mine.
- Local Adivasis have protested against the mine for two years, asserting it is their ancestral land.
- Bauxite is the principal ore of aluminium; Odisha is India's leading bauxite-producing State.
- Tribal land rights in Scheduled Areas are protected under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and PESA, 1996.
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- The Jeypore ground gecko is an endangered reptile documented in the Balda hills of Odisha.
- Bauxite is the main ore of aluminium and is found in laterite-rich hill tracts, notably in Odisha.
- Under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, the Gram Sabha plays a key role in recognising community forest rights and consenting to diversion of forest land.
- Species are classed as Endangered, Vulnerable or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List based on extinction risk.
Mains
GS-III (Environment and biodiversity): mining in ecologically sensitive hill habitats pits the extraction of minerals like bauxite against the survival of range-restricted species such as the Jeypore ground gecko, and against Adivasi claims under the Forest Rights Act and PESA. The implication is a conflict between development and conservation, with Gram Sabha consent and environmental clearance at stake. The way forward lies in credible biodiversity assessment, no-go zones for critical habitats, consent-based mining and compensatory conservation.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
The endangered Jeypore ground gecko, recently in the news over a proposed bauxite mine, has been documented in the Balda hills of which State?
- Chhattisgarh
- Jharkhand
- Odisha
- Andhra Pradesh
Show answer
Answer: C — Odisha is correct. Only four individuals of the Jeypore ground gecko were documented in the past year in Odisha's Balda hills, where a bauxite mine is proposed.
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