Lok Sabha Question No. 3344 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-15
Subject: Illegal Mining
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: KAUSHAL KISHORE, ASADUDDIN OWAISI, SUSHMITA DEV, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3344 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2018

## ILLEGAL MINING

3344.  SHRI KAUSHAL KISHORE: SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI: KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV: SHRI JYOTIRADITYA  M. SCINDIA:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  inspite  of  various  steps  taken  by  the  Union  Government  and  the  States  including directions issued by the Hon'ble Supreme Court illegal mining in some States of the country is still rampant and if so, the details thereof and the reasons the reasons therefor;
- (b)   the instances of illegal mining which came to the notice of the Union Government during the last three years, State-wise along with the action taken to prevent such instances in future;
- (c)   Whether Hon'ble Supreme Court after grappling with cases pertaining to illegal mining has pulled up  the  Union  Government  for  its  failure  to  curb  illegal  mining  in  the  country  and  asked  for  a comprehensive  policy  to  curb  illegal  mining  and  if  so,  the  reaction  of  the  Union  Government thereto;
- (d)  Whether the Union Government has since prepared any concrete plan to curb pilferage of natural resources and placed plans before the Hon'ble Supreme Court; and
- (e)  if  so,  the  details  in  this  regard  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Union  Government  to  effectively implement the plans?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINES AND COAL (SHRI HARIBHAI PARTHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)

(a)&(b):  As  per  section  23C  of  the  Mines  and  Minerals(Development  and  Regulation)  Act,  1957 (MMDR  Act),  State  Governments  are  empowered  to  frame  rules  for  prevention  of  illegal  mining, storage and transportation for both major and minor minerals and for purposes connected therewith. Therefore, matter relating to regulation and control of illegal mining is completely within the domain of respective State Governments.

However, based on the information regarding quarterly returns on illegal mining provided by State  Governments  to  Indian  Bureau  of  Mines  (a  subordinate  office  under  the  Ministry  of  Mines), about the instances of illegal mining, FIR lodged, Vehicle seized, fine realized for last three years is provided at Annexure .

(c): No, Madam. Hon'ble Supreme Court has not pulled up the Union Government regarding failure to curb illegal mining in the Country; However, Hon'ble Supreme Court in W.P(C) No. 202 of 1995 [T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad vs UoI] has passed an order dated 23.02.2018 on the issues of prevention of illegal mining by the States, wherein Hon'ble Supreme Court has, inter-alia, directed Union of India to file an affidavit detailing whether Central Government has any policy at all with regard to prevention of illegal mining or to take strict action against mining lease holders indulging in illegal mining.

- (d): No, Madam.
- (e): Does not arise in view of reply given in part (d) above.

`

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|         | ILLEGAL MINING CASES   | ILLEGAL MINING CASES   | ILLEGAL MINING CASES   | ILLEGAL MINING CASES   | ILLEGAL MINING CASES                 | Action taken from 2013-14 to Quarter ending September - 2017   | Action taken from 2013-14 to Quarter ending September - 2017   | Action taken from 2013-14 to Quarter ending September - 2017   | Action taken from 2013-14 to Quarter ending September - 2017   |
|---------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sr. No. | State                  | 2014 - 15              | 2015 - 16              | 2016-17                | 2017-18 (Quarter ending Sept - 2017) | FIR Lodged (Nos.)                                              | Court Cases Filed (Nos.)                                       | Vehicle Seized (No.)                                           | Fine realized by State Govt. (Rs. Lakh)                        |
| 1       | Andaman & Nicobar      | n. r.                  | n. r.                  | n. r.                  | n. r.                                | n. r.                                                          | n. r.                                                          | n. r.                                                          | n. r.                                                          |
| 2       | Andhra Pradesh         | 9379                   | 9953                   | 9703                   | 4063                                 | 3                                                              | 12                                                             | 3                                                              | 14323.275                                                      |
| 3       | Assam                  | 0                      | 0                      | n. r.                  | n. r.                                | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 0                                                              |
| 4       | Chhattisgarh           | 4953                   | 5862                   | 4794                   | 2227                                 | 2                                                              | 21787                                                          | 1138                                                           | 3338.376                                                       |
| 5       | Goa                    | 0                      | 2                      | 0                      | 0                                    | 1                                                              | 0                                                              | 1                                                              | 0                                                              |
| 6       | Gujarat                | 5716                   | 6499                   | 8325                   | 4586                                 | 382                                                            | 29                                                             | 20715                                                          | 15667.05                                                       |
| 7       | Haryana                | 5333                   | 3912                   | 1345                   | 527                                  | 654                                                            | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 3765.03                                                        |
| 8       | Himachal Pradesh       | n. r.                  | n. r.                  | n. r.                  | n. r.                                | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 0                                                              |
| 9       | Jammu & Kashmir        | n. r.                  | n. r.                  | n. r.                  | 928                                  | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 928                                                            | 5.088                                                          |
| 10      | Jharkhand              | 1162                   | 1645                   | 838                    | 204                                  | 2444                                                           | 343                                                            | 3132                                                           | 432.87                                                         |
| 11      | Karnataka              | 8464                   | 9185                   | 5692                   | 2830                                 | 1798                                                           | 468                                                            | 11497                                                          | 11163.03                                                       |
| 12      | Kerala                 | 4172                   | 3701                   | 4861                   | 3017                                 | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 8054.73                                                        |
| 13      | Madhya Pradesh         | 8173                   | 13627                  | 13880                  | 7854                                 | 516                                                            | 41299                                                          | 2978                                                           | 113206.21                                                      |
| 14      | Maharashtra            | 32717                  | 33621                  | 31173                  | 10797                                | 794                                                            | 1                                                              | 144784                                                         | 28178.52                                                       |
| 15      | Mizoram                | 26                     | n. r.                  | n. r.                  | n. r.                                | 1                                                              | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 1.537                                                          |
| 16      | Odisha                 | 104                    | 62                     | 45                     | 25                                   | 0                                                              | 4                                                              | 77                                                             | 1111.407                                                       |
| 17      | Punjab                 | n. r.                  | n. r.                  | n. r.                  | n. r.                                | n. r                                                           | n. r                                                           | n. r                                                           | n. r                                                           |
| 18      | Rajasthan              | 2945                   | 3661                   | 3945                   | 2025                                 | 2536                                                           | 37                                                             | 11248                                                          | 6794.672                                                       |
| 19      | Sikkim                 | 0                      | 0                      | n. r.                  | n. r.                                | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 0                                                              |
| 20      | Tamilnadu              | 205                    | 58                     | 56                     | 48                                   | 10734                                                          | 1                                                              | 35166                                                          | 12285.82                                                       |
| 21      | Telangana              | 3311                   | 6538                   | 5839                   | 3203                                 | 0                                                              | 0                                                              | 4                                                              | 5314.43                                                        |
| 22      | Uttar Pradesh          | 10024                  | 11575                  | 5737                   | n. r.                                | 562                                                            | 439                                                            | 0                                                              | 9333.57                                                        |
| 23      | West Bengal            | n. r.                  | 575                    | n. r.                  | n. r.                                | 1132                                                           | 0                                                              | 218                                                            | 0                                                              |
|         | Grand Total            | 96684                  | 110476                 | 96233                  | 42334                                | 21559                                                          | 64420                                                          | 231889                                                         | 232975.615                                                     |

[n.r. quarterly return not received ]

[Source: Indian Bureau of Mines]