To ensure a balance between development and the environment, the state government has drafted a mining policy after getting directions from the Supreme Court. As per the new policy, nobody can excavate sand from rivers without prior permission from the local civic body. It will also be mandatory for every district administration to draw their mining plan.
“The state has framed the draft in accordance with recommendations of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957,” said Dr Manik Gutte, deputy secretary of the land and revenue ministry of the state
He said, “The state government has filed an nterim application in the Supreme Court in the same case. Before that, the state had drafted the rules according to which every district has to publish its mining plan. The committee headed by the collector will be formed. According to these rules, no quarry lease will be allotted beyond the plan. The license granted to lessee shall not exceed two years.”
He explained that the lessee or license holder shall submit the proposed operations such as area of operation, scale of plan, geological mapping, proposed number of pits, trenches, bore holes, particulars of machinery to be used. Dr Gutte said, “for infrastructural development sand is necessary, but at the same time environment and biodiversity losses should be avoided.”
The draft has been submitted to the SC for final approval by the state government. The government expects that it will be granted by the green bench of SC on the next hearing, on October 7. “The bench will decide whether the new rules will be implemented with retrospective effect,” Dr Gutte said.