Lok Sabha Question No. 1531 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-25
Subject: Illegal Mining
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: BHARAT SINGH, MANSHANKAR NINAMA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1531

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2017

## Illegal Mining

## 1531.   SHRI BHARAT SINGH:

SHRI MANSHANKAR NINAMA:

Will  the  Minister  of  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND  CLIMATE  CHANGE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the damages caused to the environment on account of illegal mining in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the steps being taken by the Government in coordination with the States to compensate the harm caused to the environment due to illegal mining in various parts of the country and ensure environmental balance;
- (c) whether any concrete measures are being taken by the Government to check the illegal mining and the harm being caused to the environment in the country especially in Uttar Pradesh; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN):

- (a) to (d): The steps taken by the Ministry to ensure environmental stability and to offset the losses  caused  to  environment  due  to  illegal  mining  inter-alia  include  the  notification  of  the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, as amended from time to time, under the  Environment  (Protection)  Act,  1986.  All  the  projects  of  mining  of  minerals  require  prior Environmental Clearance. The Environmental Clearance is granted after consideration of various aspects related to flora, fauna, air, water, land, environmental health aspects etc. Strict conditions are prescribed to the mining projects.

Further, with a view to promote sustainable sand mining in the States, the Government has delegated, vide notification dated 15.01.2016, the Authority of Environmental Clearance up to  5  hectare  of  individual  mining  lease  of  minor  minerals  and  25  hectares  in  clusters  to  the District Environment Impact Assessment Authority (DEIAA) headed by the District Magistrate/ District  Collector.  A  District  Expert  Appraisal  Committee  (DEAC)  has  also  been  constituted under the chairmanship of the Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department to assist the DEIAA. The Ministry has also notified the constitution of DEIAA and DEAC, vide Notification SO No. 190 (E) dated 20.01.2016.

Section  23  (C)  of  Mines  and  Minerals  (Development  and  Regulation)  Act,  1957,  as amended  in  1999,  authorizes  State  Government  to  make  rules  for  preventing  illegal  mining, transportation and storage of minerals. As per information received, there are four mine leases for river sand/moram mining in Bundelkhand for which the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has granted Environment Clearance. The MoEF&CC has received a  complaint  regarding  illegal  sand  mining  in  Bundelkhand,  Uttar  Pradesh  which  has  been examined by the Regional Office of the MoEF&CC at Lucknow. Based on the site inspection report, an order under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 was issued vide dated 4th November 2015  to  the  Government  of  Uttar  Pradesh  directing  them  to  immediately  stop  the violation of environmental norms on the site. In addition, illegal extraction of minor mineral was reported from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Yamunanagar in Haryana and the matter is subjudice in NGT, New Delhi.

***