India’s newest diamond mine at Bakswaha, in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, is now being estimated to be the country’s largest diamond mine ever. However, the mining project comes at the cost of clearing forests with 2.15 lakh trees.

Essel Mining has earmarked 62.64 hectares of land in Sagoria village of Bakswaha, for mining. The diamond extraction will be on this land. However, the company has asked for an additional 382.13 hectares of forest land, adjacent to the mines. This is to be used for diamond processing and polishing activities.

This 382.13 hectares of forest land has a total of 2,15,875 trees. Many of these trees belong to rare species, which are unique to the Panna region. Wildlife in this region includes deer, sambhar, and leopards. Fears that such large-scale deforestation in an already drought-prone area can lead to salination of the soil and land degradation. This can have a major impact on agriculture and groundwater in the Bundelkhand region. The various Expert Appraisal Committees that undertake environmental impact assessments of projects, often are formed by people from the mining industry.

We don't need such development at the cost of our future generation. We can live many decades, centuries without Dimond's but we cant live without Oxygen for a single minute. please sign this petition and save our forest. #Save_Bakswaha