Lok Sabha Question No. 2359 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-13
Subject: Environmental Impact due to Mining
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Diya Kumari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2359

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2021

## Environmental Impact due to Mining

## 2359.   MS. DIYA KUMARI:

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

- (a) whether the Government has undertaken studies to demarcate areas of severe environmental  impact  including  pollution  of  groundwater,  air  and  noise  pollution  from various mining activities, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the measures the Government has taken to mitigate the environmental impact of mining activities on the locals residing near mines and the details thereof;
- (c) whether  there  exists  a  compensatory  mechanism  to  protect  the  locals  residing  around mines and the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the government plans to introduce a further compensatory mechanisms to protect the locals and disincentivize miners from violating environmental norms, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) & (b):  The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF & CC) has notified the  Environment  Impact  Assessment  (EIA)  Notification,  2006,  as  amended  from  time  to  time, which  deals  with  the  process  to  grant  Environmental  Clearance  (EC)  including  mining  of minerals. Any likely impacts of the mining activity, including pollution of groundwater, air and noise pollution, are  assessed during its EIA & Environmental Management Plan(EMP) studies, which is mandatory for obtaining EC for all significant mining activities.  The EC is granted to the  project  based  on  the  appraisal  of  such  project  keeping  in  view  of  EIA/EMP  studies  and various conditions are stipulated therein to address and mitigate the environmental impacts.

(c  )  &  (d)  The  concerns  of  local  affected  persons  and  others  who  have  plausible  stake  in  the environmental impacts of the project or activity are taken in to account during EIA/EMP process. In the above context, public consultation/public hearing is undertaken for all category A and B1 projects or activity mentioned in schedule of the EIA Notification, 2006 as amended time to time. If any mining activities involves relocation of some population residing within or very near to a proposed  mining  activity,  then  it  is  compensated  under  the  land  acquisition  law.  Accordingly, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Plan including compensation to be paid to the project affected families, is prepared and implemented by the project authorities.

After  issuance of  EC,  half  yearly  compliance  report  is  required  to  be  submitted  by  the project authorities to the concerned Regional Offices of the MoEF & CC. Post-Project Clearance, Monitoring report is scrutinized to ensure that environmental norms as laid down in the EC are not violated and appropriate action is contemplated under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for  non-compliance  of  environmental  clearance  conditions.  In  cases  of  major  non-compliance, further follow up action is taken for effecting compliance including issue of show cause notice followed by directions under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 on case to case basis.

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