Lok Sabha Question No. 2734 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-11
Subject: Restoration of Land Degraded by Mining
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Kuldeep Indora

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2734

ANSWERED ON 11.12.2024

## RESTORATION OF LAND DEGRADED BY MINING

2734 SHRI KULDEEP INDORA:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to address the challenge of restoring land degraded by mining in the country;
- (b) if so, the measures being taken to address the same; and
- (c)  the  details of the  measures being taken to address the issue of reduced forest cover, shrunk water bodies and increased vulnerability to climate change among some of the long-term effects of mining?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a) & (b): Under Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR), 2017, every lease holder is required to prepare a Progressive Mine Closure Plan (PMCP) and Final Mine Closure Plan (FMCP). The lease holders are mandated to submit a yearly report informing about the extent of protective and rehabilitative works carried out as per the mine closure plan. If the reclamation and rehabilitation (R&R) measures as envisaged in PMCP or FMCP are not implemented, then the financial assurance given by the lease holder is forfeited by the State Government.

Further, as per Rule 12(1)(m) of the Minerals (Other than Atomic and Hydro Carbons Energy Minerals) Concession Rules, 2016, the lessee is mandated to restore, to the extent possible, the landform affected by mining operations.

(c): As per existing law, before execution of the mining lease, it is mandatory to obtain the requisite statutory clearances from various departments of the Central Government and respective State Governments, including Environmental Clearance and Forest Clearance.

As  part  of  grant  of  Environmental  Clearance,  the  prospective  lessees  carry  out Environment  Impact  Assessment  (EIA)  and  submit  the  Environment  Management Plan (EMP) based on scientific study by taking into consideration of likely the impact of  project  activity  on  the  baseline  environment.  The  mining  lease  holders  are  also required  to  implement  the  environmental  mitigation  measures  as  approved  during grant of Environmental Clearance. As part of the Forest Clearance, the prospective lessee is required to undertake compensatory afforestation in lieu of the diversion of forest land for mining.

Further, the mining projects are mandated to obtain the No Objection Certificate for ground water extraction subject to specific conditions under the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to regulate and control ground water extraction in India.

In addition, the Ministry of Mines has implemented Sustainable Mining Practices by making provisions under Chapter-V of Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR), 2017. Provisions have been incorporated in the rules for precaution against air pollution, prevention of discharge of toxic liquid, precaution against noise, control of surface subsidence etc.

Rule 35 of MCDR, 2017 provides for star rating of the mining leases based on the sustainable mining practices adopted by the miners. As per Rule 35(4) of MCDR, 2017 every holder of a mining lease is mandated to achieve at least three-star rating within a  period  of  four  years  from  the  date  of  commencement  of  mining  operations  and thereafter maintain the same on year-on-year basis.

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