Carry out development in areas affected by mining: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Sarbnanda Sonowal on Wednesday directed officials of the state Mines and Minerals department to carry out development works in the areas affected due to mining activities.

The District Mineral Foundation (DMF) trusts must work properly for executing the development works in the affected areas as mandated by Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act 2015, he said while reviewing a meeting with officials of the department.

Sonowal, further, asked the department to give a presentation with pictures about development activities in the next meeting, said a statement issued from the government.

The possibility to empower the Deputy Commissioners to oversee the extraction of minor minerals such as sand, stones and others in their districts and removing the non-forest lands from the purview of the Forest Department for mineral extraction were also discussed in the meeting, it said.

He also directed officials to be more "visible and make their presence felt" among people so that they could be aware of the development works undertaken by the department.

State Mines and Minerals Minister Sum Ranghang and senior officials of the department were present at the meeting.