States should be consulted before implementing mining law: K'taka govt

Says each state has its own problems and one uniform ordinance cannot be implemented

The Karnataka government has urged Centre to implement the new Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Ordinance 2015 only after discussing it thoroughly in the Parliament and consulting state governments.

Speaking to reporters after participating in the meeting of the state mines ministers called by Union minister of mines and steel Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi on Monday, T B Jayachandra, minister for law, justice and parliamentary affairs, said, "The auction of bauxite, iron ore, manganese and limestone will adversely affect sponge iron industries, which cannot afford to buy them in competitive bidding. Even small industries will be deprived of raw material. It would be better if the Central government consults the state governments before implementing the Ordinance."

Each state has its own problems and one uniform Ordinance cannot be implemented for all states, he said.

He said the state government was following the Supreme Court guidelines on auctioning of Category C mines and waiting for the guidelines. The state government has requested the Central government to take into account the interests of small industries like sponge iron units before implementing any new regulations, Jayachandra said.

The state government has also taken steps to increase the production of sand as there has been acute shortage of the same.