Lok Sabha Question No. 3029 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-21
Subject: Environmental Damage due to Illegal Mining
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3029

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.03.2017

## Environmental Damage due to Illegal Mining

## 3029. SHRI BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA

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

- (a) whether the Government has conducted any survey to assess the damage caused to the environment on account of illegal mining in Uttar Pradesh particularly in Bundelkhand;
- (b) if so, the details and outcome thereof;
- (c) whether any report has been sought from Uttar Pradesh in this regard, if so, the details and response received thereon; and
- (d) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  illegal  mining  and  damage  to  the environment in Uttar Pradesh?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ANIL MADHAV DAVE)

(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 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 4 th November 2015 to  the  Government  of  Uttar  Pradesh  directing  them  to  immediately  stop  the  violation  of environmental norms on the site.

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