Lok Sabha Question No. 107 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: Prevention of Illegal Mining to maintain Ecosystem
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Omprakash Bhupalsinh Alias Pavan Rajenimbalkar, Shri Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO . 107

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025

## Prevention of Illegal Mining to maintain Ecosystem

## 107. SHRI SANJAY UTTAMRAO DESHMUKH: SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAVAN RAJENIMBALKAR:

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

- (a) whether  illegal  mining  in  various  States  of  the  country  is  causing  huge  damage  to ecosystem that affecting vegetation, flora, fauna and ground water levels;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken special steps to check illegal mining and to revive and maintain environmental balance and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  details  of  illegal  mining  cases  reported  during  the  last  five  years  and  the  current year, State/UT-wise and district-wise, particularly in Maharashtra;
- (e) whether the Government proposes to implement new scheme or policy for ecological conservation, take strict measures against illegal mining and raising awareness among the local community; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof along with the likely time frame in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a)  to  (f)    The  illegal  mining  is  defined  in  Mineral  Concession  rules  2016  notified  under MMDR Act,  1957  by  Ministry  of  Mines.  As  per  Section  23C  of  the  Mines  &  Minerals (Development & Regulation) (MMDR) Act, 1957, the State Governments are empowered to frame  rules  to  prevent  illegal  mining,  transportation,  and  storage  of  minerals  and  matters connected therewith. Therefore, the control of illegal mining is primary responsibility of the concerned State Government. All major mining states have framed rules under section 23C of MMDR  Act,  1957  to  curb  illegal  mining.  Further,  States  have  also  set  up  Task  Forces, specially  constituted  to  control  illegal  mining  and  review  the  action  taken  by  member departments for checking the illegal mining activities.

The  MMDR  Act,  1957  was  amended  through  the  MMDR  Amendment  Act,  2015,  which came into effect from 12th January, 2015, wherein Section 30B and 30C read with section 21 and  23C,  inter-alia,  provides  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. The Ministry of Mines has launched the Mining Surveillance System (MSS) in October 2016 through IBM. The MSS system detects likely incidences of illegal mining using space technology and surveillance of area up to 500 m  outside  the  lease  boundary.  The  triggers  generated  are  sent  to  State  Governments  for verification and further action.

The Ministry of Mines has also issued guidelines on 03.10.2023 to major mineral rich States for  prevention  of  misclassification  of  grades  of  iron  ore  and  other  minerals  by  using technology.  The  State  Governments  were  requested  to  implement  the  said  guidelines  by suitably incorporating the same in the rules framed by the State Governments under Section 23C of the MMDR Act, 1957. The said guidelines envisage the use of technologies like GPS, RFID, Geo-fencing, block chain technology for tracking of minerals during complete value chain  including  self-declaration  of  grades,  tracking  of  transport  vehicles,  automation  of invoice reconciliation, etc..

Further,  MoEFCC  has  taken  several  steps  to  ensure  adherence  to  the  environmental safeguards due to mining of minerals. These include, inter-alia, mandating the requirement of prior environmental clearance under the provisions of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification,  2006,  as  amended  from  time  to  time  with  general  and  specific  conditions forming part of prior Environmental Clearance.

Beside above, the MoEF&CC is actively implementing several schemes for the conservation and  restoration.  These  include  the  National  Mission  for  a  Green  India  (GIM)  under  the National  Action  Plan  on  Climate  Change,  which  aims  at  afforestation  and  ecosystem restoration across forest and non-forest landscapes. The Nagar Van Yojana (NVY) focuses on creating green spaces in urban areas to protect forests from degradation and encroachment. The "School Nursery Yojana" engages students in environmental conservation by fostering an  appreciation  for  plant  biodiversity.  Additionally,  the  Government  has  launched  the "Mangrove  Initiative  for  Shoreline  Habitats  &  Tangible  Incomes"  (MISHTI)  to  restore mangrove ecosystems along India's coastlines. Under the "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" campaign, States  and  Union  Territories  have  undertaken  plantation  activities  to  enhance  greenery. Furthermore, funds under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority  (CAMPA)  are  utilized  for  forest  and  wildlife  conservation  efforts,  including afforestation initiatives. These measures collectively contribute to environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation.

As per the  information received  from  Maharashtra State  Directorate of Geology & Mining (DGM), in the State of Maharashtra, the Mining Surveillance System (MSS) is an automated platform developed by the Ministry of Mines (MoM) with technical support from BISAG-N, which generates triggers purely on the basis of satellite imagery and remote-sensing analysis to curb illegal Mining activity. State DGM has further informed that in exercise of the powers conferred  by  the  section  23(c)  of  Mines  and  Minerals  (Development  and  Regulation)  Act 1957, Government of Maharashtra made the rules  to regulate the possession, storage, trading and transport of major minerals and minerals products and to check the evasion  of royalty or seigniorage fee, stopping illegal mining and transport in the State as Maharashtra Mineral (Prevention  of  illegal  Mining,  Transportation  and    Storage  Rules)  Rules,    2001 ,  which came into force on 16 June 2001.  State Government of Maharashtra is actively moving ahead with new rules and programmes for ecological conservation, stricter action on illegal mining (especially  sand),  and  community-level  awareness.  Several  concrete  policies/steps  were announced or published through 2024-2025 and are  being implemented/rolled  out through 2025-26. Further State Government of Maharashtra has formulated a Sand Policy 2025 dated 08.04.2025  which  promotes  manufactured  sand  (M-Sand)  to  reduce  river  sand  mining, defines  permissions/uses  at  gram-panchayat  level,  and  includes  measures  to  regularise  and monitor sand extraction. The Sand Policy  provisions, district ordinances (e.g., June 2025), forest department SOPs and the 10-crore plantation campaign items were issued in 2025 and many actions (crackdowns, licence changes) have been occurring throughout 2025.

As  per  the  information  provided  by  Maharashtra  State  DGM,  total  43,966  cases  related  to illegal  mining for minor  mineral  were reported and 5896 FIRs were lodged in the State of Maharashtra from the year 2019-20 to 2023-24.  The statement showing the year wise minor mineral cases, FIR and fine imposed for illegal mining from the year 2019-20 to 2023-24 in the State of Maharashtra is given at Annexure 1 .

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## Annexure 1

## The statement showing the year wise minor mineral cases and fine imposed for illegal mining from the year 2019-20 to 2023-24 in the State of Maharashtra ( as per State DGM Maharashtra)

|   S.No | Year    |   Cases |   Amount in lacs |   FIR |
|--------|---------|---------|------------------|-------|
|      1 | 2019-20 |   10363 |          9332.19 |   988 |
|      2 | 2020-21 |   10845 |         10119.9  |  1149 |
|      3 | 2021-22 |    8031 |         18892.2  |  2490 |
|      4 | 2022-23 |    5902 |          8170.91 |   470 |
|      5 | 2023-24 |    8825 |         11644    |   799 |

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