Centre to clean up mining mess
After years of inaction that favoured the mining mafia, the Centre has initiated comprehensive changes in regulations which will enhance the quantum of punishment for illegal mining, a chain of special courts and reward for whistleblowers.
Although there is no provision under the existing rules that sanction Central interference to curb illegal mining (a State subject), the draft regulations now awaiting approval of the Union cabinet, seek to debar mine owners from taking up further mining once he is convicted.
Disclosing these proposed changes Union Mines Secretary Santha Sheela Nair told Deccan Herald that “anybody can be a complainant against illegal mining in the proposed amendments to the MMDR Act (Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act).”
Nair said that since state governments are the lessor of mining leases, there is no specific provision for the Centre to interfere directly.
However, she said, in extreme cases, the Centre may intervene by way of “issuing directives”.
