The State government has set up a single window system to grant quarrying leases to check mining in gomala (grazing land ) and forest areas.
The decision was taken after the High Court took cognisance of appeals made by citizens and environment activists stating that instances of granting mining leases in forest land were increasing.
The Court directed to introduce a single window system comprising officers from Revenue, Forest and Mines and Geology departments to streamline the grant of leases.
Accordingly, a committee has been constituted under Rule 11 of the Karnataka Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 1994. Secretaries from the Revenue and Forest departments will be the members and the director of the Mines and Geology department will be the member secretary.
Earlier, the deputy director of Mines and Geology department was empowered to grant leases for mining non-scheduled minor minerals. Henceforth, the proposal will have to pass through the single window committee.
The panel will have to conduct a survey of the land in question to ascertain its nature - whether government land, gomala, forest area or a private property - before granting lease.
It will then have to submit a technical report to the member secretary of the district task force, along with no objection letters from all the departments concerned.
The entire process will have to completed within 90 days as per the rules.
The district taskforce, headed by the deputy commissioner, will have to review the report. It will also record reasons for non-issue of no objection certificate from any member department/s.
The deputy commissioner can finally grant the lease based on the decision of the task force and in accordance with the prevailing laws.