Mining companies carrying out operations without statutory clearances or lifting ores beyond the approved plan of Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) would have to act with caution in the future. The Department of Mines, Government of India, intends to bring changes in the IBM guidelines which may disallow regularization of mining operation post violation of norms through 'Modification of Mining Plan'.
The IBM is currently giving shape to the draft on amended guideline.
The Department of Mines is also likely to ensure regular inspection of mines by IBM in consultation with state government particularly in cases where sharp increase in ore production is witnessed.
The department has suggested that modification of Mining Plan should not be too frequent and it may be done only once during a scheme period of five years.
“The Department of Mines of the Union government has asked IBM not to regularize past illegal mining through 'Modification of Mining Plan'. We have demanded that the IBM needs to be strengthened with the necessary resources including manpower to carry out the necessary inspections on operations of the miners”, a source familiar with the development told Business Standard.
This apart, the failure to properly conduct prospecting should be regularized through changes in the Mining Plan. IBM was directed to issue guidelines accordingly to all miners and to the state governments.
The draft guidelines on modification of Mining Plan were discussed and the views of state governments were solicited at a recent meeting of ten state governments held in New Delhi on 'Measures Taken to Curb Illegal Mining' in New Delhi.
It was suggested by the state governments that IBM should generally ascertain whether any notice for illegal mining has been issued, beforeapproving modification of Mining Plan.
It was agreed that when state governments issue notices for illegal mining, they should invariably endorse a copy to IBM.
The Orissa government had recently constituted a six-member committee headed by Director (Mines) to look into cases of excessive lifting of minerals by the miners and recommend the imposition of penalty on the errant miners.
According to the interim report submitted by the committee, 87 out of 264 operational mines in Orissa have been raising ores beyond the IBM approved Mining Plan in the last ten years.
Now, IBM was to scrutinize the cases of these 87 mines and thereafter, the state government would decide on any action to be taken against the errant miners.
Raising of ores by the miners beyond the IBM approved mining plan, both in the public and private sector over the last ten years, had evoked protests from the Opposition political parties and caught the state government in a tight spot. IBM specifies the quantum of ore that can be raised by a mining company in a year in its 'Mining Plan'.
