Heavy fine recommended to curb illegal mining in Rajasthan

In Rajasthan, a total of 3,076 FIRs and 33,317 complaints have been registered for violations of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act between April 1, 2018 and July 31, 2020. As per official data in this period, the state government compounded Rs 216.19 crore as fine from the violators. The SC consituted the  central empowered committee (CEC) has also recommended imposing a fine of Rs 10 lakh per vehicle and Rs 5 lakh per cubic meter of sand seized as penalty against illegal Bajri mining in Rajasthan.

The Supreme Court in November 2017 had banned bajri mining and directed the state government to ensure that illegal mining does not take place. In February,2018 the SC had constituted the committee to look into illegal sand mining in the state and submit a report suggesting measures to deal with it. After visiting relevant places and understanding the details of the illegal trade, the committee recently submitted the report, which comprises 111point recommendations.

The CEC recommends that all the Khatedari leases located within 5 kms from the river bank as well as leases, where violation of the lease conditions including misuse of e-ravannas are detected, are terminated forthwith and the state government shall not issue fresh Khatedari leases except for Palaeo deposits in district of Bikaner without the approval of this court.

The CEC suggests that the ministry of environment and forest issues environment clearance(EC) to all the valid letter of intent (LoI)holders recommended by the expert appraisal committee (EAC) in its meeting, held during 2014-2016, without insisting on submission of scientific study report as a precondition for the grant of EC within a period of three months. The state government is directed to conduct a drone survey in respect of all the remaining Khatedari leases within the next four months to assess the irregularities if any committed by them, it said.

Even Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), in its report has alleged that unregulated egal mining and rampant illegal mining in Rajasthan has systematically destroyed forests, devastated the Aravallis, and played havoc with the water resources of the state. Rajasthan has the highest number of mine leases in the country. The state holds reserves for 44 major and 22 minor minerals and is the only producer of garnet, jasper, selenite, wollastonite and zinc concentrates. It is also the leading producer of calcite, lead concentrate, ball clay, fireclay, ochre,phosphorite, silver and steatite.  But it is best known for its production of marble, sandstone, marble and other stones. It produces 10 per cent of the world’s and 70 per cent of India’s output of sandstone. Kota, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Bikaner, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Pali, Rajsamand, and Udaipur are its main mining districts.