With the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) dilly dallying on action to be taken against miners raising ores in excess of the stipulated Mining Plan, the Orissa government has now approached the Union ministry of mines, seeking prompt initiation of proceedings against such errant miners.
After three abortive attempts made by the steel & mines department to bring around IBM to take action on the matter, the departmental secretary Manoj Ahuja has written to S Vijay Kumar, secretary (mines), Government of India.
Ahuja has requested the Union mines secretary to give necessary instructions to IBM to do the needful, including suspension of mines under Rule 13 (2) of Mineral Concession & Development Rules (MCDR)-1988. Alternatively, IBM can also recommend to the state government for initiation of proceedings for termination of lease of such miners.
“The state government had constituted a committee to detect excess production of ore beyond the approved Mining Plan which has taken place during the last 10 years. The committee found 104 leases in which prime facie annual production limit of the annual production plan was exceeded in at least one year in the last 10 years. These cases have since been reported to IBM for further verification and to initiate necessary action”, Ahuja has stated in his letter to the Union mines secretary.
As mandated under Rule 13 (1) of MCDR-1988, every mining lease holder has to carry out mining operations in accordance with the approved Mining Plan. Carrying out mining operation in violation of the approved Mining Plan is punishable under Rule 58 of the said Rules for which the authorized officers of IBM are competent to file complaint and take necessary action, Ahuja has stated.
A six-member committee headed by the Director (Mines) was constituted in August last year under Director (Mines) to look into cases of the miners who had raised ores beyond the IBM approved mining plan. After the committee submitted its report, it was referred to the IBM.
More From This Section
The excess mining has been in case of iron ore, limestone, manganese and chromite and there are cases where the miners have raised ores in excess of the IBM approved Mining Plan for a year or so in the last ten years.
The committee was constituted as per the order of the state Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, to look into cases of excessive lifting of minerals by the miners and recommend the imposition of penalty on the errant miners.