HC directs committee to submit mining inspection report within

Madras High Court Bench here today directed the Special Committee headed by Revenue Secretary Gagandeep Singh Bedi, formed to inspect mining operations in Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Kanayakumari and Tiruchirappalli districts for mining of sand, garnet, ilmenite and rutile to submit its inspection report within a month.
Admitting a petition filed by the Beach Mineral Producers Association President N Paulraj, Justice R Subbiah also directed the government to take action on the basis of the report within two weeks after it was received.
The Judge also directed the Committee to give a copy of the report to the Association.
The petitioner said that the committee was constituted on August 8 last year to inspect the mining in Tuticorin area.

The Government also directed to stop all the mining operations pending the completion of the inspection and also to halt issue of transport permit to the six lease holders till the inspection was completed.
Then on September 17, 2013, the government said there should be comprehensive assessment of mining of major minerals like Garnet, ilmenite and rutile and directed Bedi to inspect mining in Tirunelveli, Tiruchirappalli, Kanyakumari and Madurai districts also by an order.

In both the Government Orders (GOs), the government said mining operations should be stopped till the inspection was over.
The petitioner submitted that state government had no right to stop mining activities. Under the Mining Minerals Development Regulation Act, government could only grant lease and not stop mining.

The Revenue Secretary had the power to inspect, but has no power for stopping of mining activities allover. The workers of beach mineral industry were depending on the mining for their livelihood.
They were expecting that the government would permit to continue the mining operations after the inspection. They also requested the government to permit them mining, but the request had been rejected.
If sand minerals were not collected when the wind and waves brought them to the shore line, the minerals would be carried back and it would become a national waste, the petitioner submitted.