Govt sets up commission in a bid to check illegal mining

The government today cleared a proposal for setting up a commission in an effort to check illegal mining and it has been asked to submit its report within 18 months, according to official sources.

The decision follows several meetings that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has held with senior Mines Ministry officials to ensure that illegal mining is checked across the country.

The commission has been asked to submit its report within 18 months after monitoring the progress of state-governments like Karnataka in checking the menace, the sources said.

"The Union Cabinet today approved proposal for setting up a commission to check illegal mining in the country. The commission will focus on alleged illegal mining in Karnataka and other mineral producing states," said a source.

Of late, the issue of illegal mining has been in the limelight, especially in the mineral rich states like Karnataka, Orissa and Jharkhand.

The concerns over the issue has gained further ground after the Reddy brothers, Karunakar and Janardhan Reddy, Ministers in the Karnataka government have been allegedly found to be involved in illegal mining.

The Union Mines Minister B K Handique has written to Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa four times since November 2009, extending help of central agencies like CBI to curb illegal mining.

The central government is preparing a new Mines Act which has a separate section that seeks to put an end to illegal mining.