News posted by www.newsinfoline.com
New Delhi, May 4 (PTI) A task force constituted by the government to check illegal mining has suspended operations in 60 mines and served show cause notices to 28 others for violating norms, following inspections in five states, the Lok Sabha was informed today. "A Task Force. conducted inspection in 106 mines in Orissa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and has suspended mining operations in 60 mines for deviation in approved mining plan. and violation notices have been issued to 28 mines," Mines Minister B K Handique told the Lower House in a written reply. Apart from this, Handique said the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) conducted a total of 1,978 inspections in the last fiscal and prosecution cases have been launched in 23 instances, while six mines have been suspended. "The state governments have stopped issuing transport permit (royalty pass) for suspended mines," he said. The assistance of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and other remote sensing agencies has been sought to obtain satellite imagery on areas of mining in some states like Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, he said. "In a particular instance in Orissa, the IBM detected illegal mining in Keonjhar district using the satellite imagery and based on this, the state government was able to initiate action against illegal miners," he said. Earlier, the Mines Ministry had advised the state governments to use satellite imagery for detection of illegal mining as part of a comprehensive strategy to curb illegal mining. The cost of satellite imagery has been estimated at Rs 50-60 lakh per district. The minister said that after some instances of illegal mining of minerals came to the notice of the government, it amended the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, to empower the state governments to take action by giving them powers to enter and inspect any mine and confiscate illegally mined minerals. "This was followed by regular monitoring by the central government of the action taken by the state governments. Recently, all the state governments have been requested to prepare an action plan using modern technology to curb illegal mining," he said. He added that a Coordination-cum-Empowered Committee has been set up to ensure elimination of delays in grant of mineral concessions and a draft State Mineral Policy has also been circulated to all the state governments.
News posted by www.newsinfoline.com
Click here to read more news from www.newsinfoline.com
Please follow our blogs
newsinfolinephotogallery
prabugallery
newsinfolinephotogallery1
photogallery1
No comments:
Post a Comment