The fairy tale of Purnapani: Abandoned quarry to ecological marvel

Nestled in the heart of Odisha's Sundargarh district, the Purnapani Limestone & Dolomite Quarry (PL&DQ) has undergone an extraordinary transformation from an industrial mining site to a thriving ecological haven.

- RINKU BEHERA

Spanning over 230 hectares, the quarry was leased out to the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) in 1960. For decades, it played a crucial role in supplying raw materials for iron and steel production. However, due to the high silica content (SiO2 >6 per cent) in the limestone, its suitability as a flux in steel manufacturing was compromised.

Consequently, mining operations were suspended following a decision by the SAIL Board in 2002, leading to an official closure on 1 March 2004. This left behind a landscape marked by mining pits, overburdened dumps, and degraded land.

Instead of abandoning the exhausted quarry, SAIL initiated an ambitious eco-restoration project. The objective was to transform the land into a self-sustaining, ecologically productive ecosystem.