Govt suspends operations in 20 iron, manganese mines

The no of such incidents and suspension of mining operations are falling with the each passing year

The government today said it has suspended mining operations in 20 iron and manganese ore leases in the last three years for producing raw material beyond the outer permissible limit.

These lease holders, located mostly in Goa and Odisha, were among the 63 caught for producing excessive ore since 2009-10, Mines Minister Dinsha Patel said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

Dempo Mining Corporation, Khatri Minerals and Mining and Ramkrishna Mines and Minerals are some of them, he added.

Excess ore production, which is more than 20 per cent of the tentative annual production quantity in the mining plan, is considered as a contravention to the provisions of Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 1988.

Patel said another 20 lease holders have been issued violation-cum show-cause notices and the mining plans have been rectified in 22 cases. The Centre has recommended to the state to send termination notice to one of the mines.

However, the number of such incidents and suspension of mining operations are falling with the each passing year, the minister said.

In a separate reply, he said there are 4,337 registered working mining leases and 119 unregistered working mining leases in the country.

"The Indian Bureau of Mines is taking action against leases who have not registered...But still working," Patel said.