Mining Policy of Uttarakhand drafted

The government has also begun the exercise to identify the areas to be earmarked as the mining areas in each district, Principal Secretary, Mining Rakesh Sharma said here today.

Chairing a video conference with the district magistrates on the subject, Mr Sharma said the mining areas would be identified and earmarked in accordance with the new mining policy that would be issued soon and asked the DMs to start the process for identification of the mining areas in their respective districts.

Mr Sharma said the adoption of the new policy would not only take care of the illegal mining carried out in Uttarakhand but also ensure availability of the mined material at fair cost to the consumers.

He informed that the mining activity would be carried out by the Forest Development Corporation (Van Vikas Nigam) in the reserved forest area. In the revenue areas, mining would be carried out by Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) and Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

Mr Sharma further directed the DMs to prepare a checklist for mining in their respective districts. Mining officers were being posted in the districts for this purpose. The DMs ought to forward as many as possible lease proposals as per the mining areas in their districts. Guidelines for this would be issued soon.

A policy related to setting up of stone crushers in the districts was also being finalised. Mr Sharma expected the DMs to forward the proposals for this work too.

The Mining Secretary added that additional funds would be made available for the arrangements for mining to each district magistrate.

He asked the DM Udham Singh Nagar and DM Nainital to establish coordination for better mining activity so that the illegal mining could be prevented.

The Principal Secretary also asked the GMVN and KMVN to set up own infrastructure for mining. Mining work would be handed over to private parties and firms only in case GMVN and KMVN expressed their inability to carry out the work.

Speaking on the occasion, Dehradun District Magistrate Dilip Jawalkar, informed that an area of around 900 hectares had been identified in Dehradun district for mining.

All arrangements for mining on 500 hectares on Song River had been completed already. Effective measures to curb illegal mining had been taken.

He also suggested that use of automatic machinery for mining in river basins be strictly prohibited and the condition essentially mentioned in the lease agreements.

Secretary (Officiating) PS Gusain, MDs Van Vikas Nigam, GMVN and KMVN were among those present on the occasion.

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