Land Acquisition, Industrialization and Livelihoods: A case study on JSW Bengal Steel Plant

This book evaluates the effects of human intervention on the environment and people's livelihoods through land-use conversion caused by industrialization. It focuses on a case study of JSW Bengal Steel Ltd.'s planned 10.0 million ton per year integrated steel plant in West Bengal, India, which caused environmental and socioeconomic problems due to the acquisition of formerly productive lands. The book generates a database on land acquisition's negative impacts on non-timber forest products, agricultural impacts, policy dimensions, and project implementation delays. It appeals to environmental managers, industry workers, students, and researchers in environmental economics, anthropology, and human geography.

Format: Hardback
Length: 318 pages
Publication date: 01 March 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive book delves into the profound impacts of human intervention on the natural environment and livelihoods through land-use conversion driven by industrialization. It offers a comprehensive assessment of the challenges and consequences associated with land acquisition and its execution, considering the diverse geographical and socio-political contexts in which these processes occur. The book focuses on a specific study conducted on JSW Bengal Steel Ltd., which in 2014 planned to establish a 10.0 million ton per year integrated steel plant in the upper catchment of the Sundra basin, a tributary of the Shilabati that ultimately flows into the river Rupnarayan in Salboni Block of Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, India. Regrettably, the project was ultimately suspended, but it left behind a trail of environmental and socioeconomic problems due to the acquisition of formerly productive lands.

To address these issues, the book undertakes a detailed examination of this case, aiming to create a comprehensive database on various aspects of land acquisition and its detrimental effects on the geomorphology and hydrological characteristics of non-timber forest products, agricultural impacts leading to livelihood changes, policy dimensions of land acquisition, and the consequences of delays in project implementation. Through a comparative analysis between projects-affected areas and non-project areas, the book sheds light on the diverse impacts of land acquisition on communities and ecosystems.

This book is of immense value to environmental managers, industry workers, students, and researchers in the fields of environmental economics, anthropology, and human geography. It provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of land acquisition, its environmental and socioeconomic consequences, and the need for sustainable land management practices. By exploring this case study, the book contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the intersection of industrialization, land use, and human well-being, offering practical solutions and policy recommendations to address these pressing challenges.

Weight: 688g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030902438
Edition number: 1st ed. 2022