Abstract

The industrial worker has been portrayed in environmental and technological discourses as unconcerned with environmental questions, a passive recipient of technology or as harbouring an illogical aversion to modern technology. Shankar Guha Niyogi: A Politics in Red and Green delves into the rich ideas and experiences of a movement born in Chhattisgarh in 1977 to argue for the possibility of a radically different engagement of labour with questions of ecology and technology. Founded by Shankar Guha Niyogi as a union for the miners of the Bhilai Steel Plant, the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (CMM) established itself as a uniquely diverse organisation, representing mineworkers, factory workers, and agricultural workers across Chhattisgarh. The CMM represented a visionary politics concerned not only with multiple livelihoods, but also the interrelationships between them. The author studies how this trade union grappled with wide-ranging ecological changes in the region, bringing about, in the process, a transformed understanding of the role of a ‘trade union’. Through this recovery of Niyogi and the CMM, the author addresses crucial questions: What are the ideological frameworks, structures and processes that encourage an involved conversation between labour and environment? Can the worker be part of the process of democratising technology, of blurring the boundaries between the ‘user’ environment and the ‘developer’ environment of technology? Can we engage with questions of nationality and sub-nationality, ethnicity and identity even as we imagine a definition of identity deeply rooted in labour? Finally, are these conversations around technology, environment, and nationality an aberration, a disavowal of class-based trade union practice? In addressing these questions, this book will be recommended reading for students and scholars of environment studies and labour studies.

Abstract

This article seeks to understand how experiences of coal extraction and use shape local perspectives on energy transitions. It does this by exploring community struggles over land and labour in India's largest coalfield Korba in Chhattisgarh state. While the Indian government has announced that the country will have net zero emissions by 2070, continuing coal mine expansions built on the dispossession of rural poor and indigenous groups dramatically shape lives, economies and aspirations, and with them expectations around a potential transition away from coal. At the moment coal provides stability and continuity in the context of a depressed agricultural sector and limited non-farm employment opportunities. The coal sector is in this manner a source of hope and aspirations for many, while simultaneously creating enormous social and ecological disruptions. In the article we place specific focus on the interlinked roles of land and labour in the production of fossil-free futures situated within agrarian relations. Long-term resistance to land acquisition for coal mining is in recent years accompanied by the emergence of new relationships that coal communities are forging around land as a transactional asset, to be bartered for mining company jobs, or simply used as a speculative asset which may yield future pay-off as mining continues to expand. Based on a close reading of everyday micro-level negotiations, this paper argues that the possibilities for justice in a post-coal future is rendered complicated by existing coal economy dependencies and narrow conceptions of compensation.

Abstract

The Ib Valley Coalfield in Odisha, one of India’s major coal-producing regions, has the third-highest coal reserves in the country. The study assesses how mining expansion and associated developments have reshaped the landscape over nearly five decades. Guided by the research goal of quantifying the impacts of coal mining activity on land use and land cover (LULC) changes, the study leverages multi-spectral/multi-temporal satellite imagery from multiple Landsat missions (2, 5, 7, 8, and 9) acquired between 1976 and 2024. The images were processed and divided into six primary LULC classes—Vegetation, Waterbodies, Mining Regions, Settlements, Industries, and Others—which were identified by employing visual interpretation techniques alongside using advanced band indices, namely, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) to validate the actual features on the ground, along with Google Earth Engine for ground truth. Comparative analysis reveals significant shifts in LULC composition over the study period, during which the expansion of coal mining activities emerged as a dominant driver of change. Results show a pronounced expansion in Mining Regions, from 0.12 km² in 1976 to 49.49 km² in 2024, reflecting the increasing dominance of open-cast mining. Concurrently, Settlements grew from 10.67 km² to 97.06 km², underscoring rapid urbanisation. By contrast, Vegetation declined from 1304.08 km² to 1142.14 km², underscoring pressures on natural ecosystems. Waterbodies exhibited modest fluctuations, influenced by reservoir management and rainfall patterns. Moreover, the open land available for agriculture was severely affected as 111.84 km2 of open land was converted into mines, settlements and industries. The transition matrix of the findings highlights the substantial environmental transformations occurring in the Ib Valley Coalfield, which shows how Vegetation experienced significant loss, primarily due to urbanization and mining, indicating ecological stress from human activities. Similarly, the conversion of water bodies into agricultural land highlights the growing human demand for cultivable areas, often resulting in the degradation of natural ecosystems. These land use transitions, particularly the expansion of extractive industries and urban settlements, collectively reflect the mounting pressures of industrialization and urbanization on the region’s ecological balance. This also highlights severe air and water pollution from open-cast mining operations with implications for habitat integrity, water resource management, and regional socio-economic dynamics—environmental assessments. Overall, this study underscores the far-reaching ecological and socio-economic consequences of coal extraction in Ib Valley.

Abstract

This study investigates the landscape of environmental litigation in India, analyzing how environmental disputes unfold within the judiciary. It aims to identify significant patterns in case subject matter, types of appellants, and regional distribution of such cases. By examining the broader socio-legal context, the research explores how various stakeholders interact with the legal system to address environmental issues. The methodology involves assembling a dataset of legal cases and applying computational techniques to extract metadata and detect trends across multiple dimensions. Statistical analysis was used to assess correlations between case topics and appellant categories, while spatial data provided insights into regional variations in environmental disputes. Additionally, a qualitative review of relevant legislation and policies cited in key rulings helped contextualize the legal reasoning behind environmental judgments. Through a computational lens, this study uncovers the institutional dynamics that shape environmental justice in India, emphasizing the value of data-driven approaches in understanding the interplay between law, governance, and civic engagement in environmental policymaking.

Abstract

This research explores the foundational frameworks and conceptual arguments shaping environmental litigation in the Supreme Court of India. Our central aim was to systematically analyze the legal language used to construct environmental arguments within the court. We sought to identify the recurring frameworks employed and understand how these frameworks integrate fundamental concepts like the right to life and freedom with environmental concerns.

Abstract

This paper is a short intervention in locating the concerns about labour in the present phase of digital transformation within the longer history of technological change. It engages with some key analytical frameworks in technology studies and development economics to identify the continuities in the present digital revolution with previous moments of equivalent technological change. It also highlights some crucial differences with the current digital turn. Finally, the paper uses available data and information to deliberate on the possible impact of the ongoing digital transformation on the employment question and the nature of work in India.

Abstract

This article asks what it is like for the rural poor to live with coal over time as mines expand and agriculture and forest-dependent ways of living inevitably become more restricted. Research on the expansion of open pit coal mining in India shows a widespread inability to appropriately compensate the rural poor for lost land and access to common property resources. Yet it is simultaneously clear that the growth of coal extraction over time ensures increased community dependence on mainly informal, coal-based livelihoods. What then happens over the long-term for people who live in and around the coalfields? Drawing on evidence from 2011 to 2022, this article explores longer term changes for mine-affected people next to major coal mines in Telangana state, India. Specifically, it examines a) the acquisition of forest and agricultural lands for the expanding mines, b) the operating mines and their environmental implications, but also improved job opportunities, and c) mine closure as an opportunity to rehabilitate the landscape and return the land for alternative community uses post mining. The results add to the understanding of the long-term changes that large-scale mining brings to rural communities, and the challenges to a just transition once coal mining inevitably comes to an end.

Abstract

Manuguru, located in Telangana, India, is a significant coal mining hub in the Godavari Valley Coalfield, with over a century of mining history. The region, experiencing rapid industrialization and urbanization, undergoes comprehensive landscape changes, impacting natural ecosystems, agricultural lands, and water resources beyond the coal-bearing areas. This study presents an analysis of the dynamic land use and land cover (LULC) patterns in Manuguru, utilizing multi-spectral/multi-temporal Landsat satellite imagery from 1987 to 2020. Focused on understanding the impact of mining activities on the region's landscape, advanced band indices, namely, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index( NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index(NDWI) are employed alongside visual interpretation techniques helps validate these indices by visually inspecting the actual features on the ground.. The interpretation of Landsat images helped delineate 8 land cover categories: agricultural land, barren land, forest, mining sites, built-up areas, rivers, stagnant water bodies, and dried water bodies. In addition to traditional analysis methods, the study incorporates rate of change calculations and transition matrices to quantify and understand the temporal dynamics of LULC composition. Comparative analysis reveals significant shifts in LULC composition over the study period where the expansion of coal mining activities emerges as a dominant driver of change. This resulted in the loss of ecologically rich forests and the proliferation of overburden hills. Despite the prevalent industrial activities, there is a visible dedication to environmental stewardship by reclaiming overburden dumps through reforestation efforts of open scrub areas. The transition of agricultural lands to built-up areas signifies rapid urban expansion, driven by burgeoning population and economic activities. Similarly, the transformation of water bodies into agricultural lands underscores the human demand for arable land, often at the expense of natural ecosystems. The combined effect of transitions within the land use classes can be attributed to the increase of extractive industries and urbanization.

Abstract

Manuguru, a historic coal mining hub in India's Godavari Valley Coalfield, embodies the intricate connections between resource extraction and its wide-ranging impacts. For over a century, mining has carved into the land, leaving a legacy beyond mere geographic alterations. It has reshaped ecosystems, reshuffled communities, and fueled socio-economic changes, often along lines of caste and ethnicity. This study delves into this transformative process through a geospatial analysis of land use and land cover (LULC) changes from 1987-2020, utilizing multi-spectral/multi-temporal Landsat satellite imagery. With a focus on mining's impact, advanced band spatial indices which are coupled with visual interpretation, unveil eight distinct land cover categories: agricultural land, barren land, forest, mining sites, built-up areas, rivers, stagnant water bodies, and dried water bodies, which provide a quantitative understanding of temporal dynamics. Beyond the geographical, field work delves into the human story. We explore the socio-economic realities of Manuguru, examining how mining has intensified existing divisions and fostered caste-based tensions. We further investigate how public policies intended for development might have inadvertently contributed to spatial segregation. By integrating geospatial insights with social realities, this study underscores the complex interplay between extractive industries, environmental concerns, and the social fabric. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for informed decision-making toward a sustainable future for Manuguru and similar resource-rich landscapes, one that balances progress with social equity and environmental well-being.

Abstract

Historians and economists working on the Indian railways refer to what they term the ‘railway mania’ of Britain in the 1840s, resulting ultimately in two principal achievements of the industrial revolution (the steamship and the steam engine) being brought to the colonies.1 Multiple rationales have been ofered to explain the spread of this ‘mania’ to India. Recounting the debate around the Indian railways, Bipan Chandra reminds us of the ‘strong political and economic pressure’ from textile manufacturers in Lancashire, who wished to access the vast supplies of cotton and wheat in India.2 Apart from being a source of opulent raw materials, India could also become a huge consumer of textile and other products manufactured in Britain, Daniel Thorner points out.3 In addition to the commercial and economic advantages, once put in place, the railways could be used to transport military personnel from one part of the vast colony to another in a relatively short time.4 These economic and political justifcations apart—many of which have been dealt with in great detail by a number of scholars of colonial India—we are left with the undeniable fact that railway construction remained a crucial endeavour of colonial rule in British India. The frst passenger railway line in India, covering 34 km between Bori Bunder (Bombay) and Thane, was opened to trafc on 16 April 1853, barely 28 years after the world’s frst successful train ran between Stockton and Darlington in England in 1825. This was one of the frst railway lines in the country. Before passenger trains were introduced, there were a few trains used to transport stone and other material, such as on the Red Hill line in Chennai in South India. The frst short lines were followed by a rapid escalation of railway construction.5 In Ian Kerr’s estimate, by 1870, ‘excluding Russia (and thus Russian Asia), ffty-fve per cent of all operating railway mileage in Africa, Asia, and Latin America combined was located in India’. The fact that neither China nor Japan had operating lines at the time stresses the unique nature of railway construction in India.6 During these initial tumultuous years, the railway building project was