Lok Sabha Question No. 2329 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-09
Subject: Illegal Mining
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: C.S. PUTTARAJU, MANOJ RAJORIA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2329 TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 th  MAY 2016

## ILLEGAL MINING

## 2329.  SHRI C S PUTTA RAJU: Dr. MANOJ RAJORIA:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether cases of illegal mining have been reported in the country;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  the  estimated  revenue  loss  incurred  to  the Government therefrom during each of the last three years, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether  the  Government  faces  difficulties  in  taking  action  against  persons involved in illegal mining in the country;
- (d) if so, the reaction of the Government in this regard; and
- (e) the  corrective  action  taken  by  the  Government against  the persons  involved  in the illegal mining and the extent of success achieved therefrom?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR STEEL AND MINES (SHRI VISHNU DEO SAI)

(a)  to  (e)  :  State  Governments  are  empowered,  under  Section  23C  of the  Mines  and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 ( MMDR Act, 1957 ) to make rules for prevention  of  illegal  mining,  transportation  and  storage  of  minerals;  and,  therefore, matters relating to illegal  mining come  under  the  legislative and  administrative jurisdiction of State Governments.

However, based on the quarterly returns on illegal mining submitted by various State Governments to Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), the total cases of illegal mining in the country reported from year 2012-13 to 2015-16 (Quarter ending September, 2015) is  provided  in Annexure-I .  The  details  on  estimated  total  revenue  loss  are  not maintained centrally.

The MMDR Act, 1957 was amended through the MMDR Amendment Act, 2015 which  came  into  effect  from  12 th January,  2015.  The  Amendment  Act  has,  inter  alia, provided for stringent punitive provisions for combating illegal mining. Illegal mining has been made punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend to five lakh rupees per hectare of the area. Provisions have been made for setting up of Special Courts for the purpose of providing speedy trial of offences relating to illegal mining.

***

## Annexure-I

## Statement showing Year wise State wise Cases of Illegal Mining for Major & Minor Minerals.

| Illegal mining cases   | Illegal mining cases   | Illegal mining cases   | Illegal mining cases   | Illegal mining cases   | Illegal mining cases                    | Action taken from 2012-13 to 2015-16 (Up to Quarter ending Sept - 2015)   | Action taken from 2012-13 to 2015-16 (Up to Quarter ending Sept - 2015)   | Action taken from 2012-13 to 2015-16 (Up to Quarter ending Sept - 2015)   | Action taken from 2012-13 to 2015-16 (Up to Quarter ending Sept - 2015)   |
|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sr. No.                | State                  | 2012- 13               | 2013 - 14              | 2014 - 15              | 2015 - 16 (Quarter ending Sept. - 2015) | FIR Lodged (Nos.)                                                         | Court Cases Filed (Nos.)                                                  | Vehicle Seized (No.)                                                      | Fine realized by State Govt. (Rs. Lakh)                                   |
| 1                      | Andaman &Nicobar       | 0                      | n.r.                   | n. r.                  | n. r.                                   | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 0.05                                                                      |
| 2                      | Andhra Pradesh         | 16592                  | 7692                   | 9379                   | 3931                                    | 2                                                                         | 1                                                                         | 2                                                                         | 1256.720                                                                  |
| 3                      | Assam                  | 0                      | 0                      | 0                      | 0                                       | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         |
| 4                      | Chhattisgarh           | 3238                   | 3996                   | 5040                   | 2647                                    | 2                                                                         | 13383                                                                     | 1138                                                                      | 2644.673                                                                  |
| 5                      | Goa                    | 0                      | 1                      | 0                      | 2                                       | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 1                                                                         | 0                                                                         |
| 6                      | Gujarat                | 6023                   | 5447                   | 5716                   | 2280                                    | 240                                                                       | 27                                                                        | 8941                                                                      | 41725.21                                                                  |
| 7                      | Haryana                | 3517                   | 3589                   | 5333                   | 2288                                    | 613                                                                       | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 3105.526                                                                  |
| 8                      | Himachal Pradesh       | 0                      | n.r.                   | n. r.                  | n. r.                                   | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         |
| 9                      | Jharkhand              | 663                    | 901                    | 1162                   | 854                                     | 1891                                                                      | 253                                                                       | 1346                                                                      | 1977.76                                                                   |
| 10                     | Karnataka              | 6677                   | 8509                   | 8464                   | 4725                                    | 620                                                                       | 539                                                                       | 9720                                                                      | 7771.50                                                                   |
| 11                     | Kerala                 | 4550                   | 4448                   | 4172                   | 1459                                    | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 2487.67                                                                   |
| 12                     | Madhya Pradesh         | 7169                   | 6725                   | 8173                   | 6941                                    | 61                                                                        | 28830                                                                     | 528                                                                       | 14670.79                                                                  |
| 13                     | Maharashtra            | 42918                  | 36476                  | 32717                  | 13292                                   | 13                                                                        | 0                                                                         | 117848                                                                    | 14709.03                                                                  |
| 14                     | Mizoram                | 16                     | 21                     | 26                     | n. r.                                   | 1                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 2.342                                                                     |
| 15                     | Odisha                 | 314                    | 76                     | 104                    | 39                                      | 4                                                                         | 4                                                                         | 514                                                                       | 1225.34                                                                   |
| 16                     | Punjab                 | 19                     | n.r.                   | n. r.                  | n. r.                                   | 74                                                                        | 0                                                                         | 61                                                                        | 45.80                                                                     |
| 17                     | Rajasthan              | 2861                   | 2953                   | 2945                   | 1423                                    | 2258                                                                      | 53                                                                        | 4235                                                                      | 4342.727                                                                  |
| 18                     | Tamilnadu              | 295                    | 1078                   | 205                    | 25                                      | 7547                                                                      | 1                                                                         | 36135                                                                     | 11564.649                                                                 |
| 19                     | Telangana              | -                      | -                      | 3311                   | 3129                                    | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 2                                                                         | 1649.016                                                                  |
| 20                     | Uttar Pradesh          | 3266                   | 6777                   | 10402                  | 4857                                    | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 0                                                                         | 7902.88                                                                   |
| 21                     | West Bengal            | 479                    | n.r.                   | n. r.                  | 575                                     | 1132                                                                      | 0                                                                         | 703                                                                       | 0                                                                         |
| Grand                  | Total                  | 98597                  | 88689                  | 97149                  | 48467                                   | 14458                                                                     | 43091                                                                     | 181174                                                                    | 117081.683                                                                |

n. r. -return not received.