Bhubaneswar: The state government, in an attempt to curb illegal mining of minor minerals, has asked all the Collectors to submit district survey report (DSR) and mining plan as soon as possible.
During a review meeting held recently, Revenue secretary NB Dhal expressed dissatisfaction over poor performance of the districts in preparing DSRs and plans for extracting minor minerals.
While there is a growing demand for minor minerals owing to large-scale construction works in every district, the availability of materials from legally operational sources is very limited. This gives rise to illegal mining, it was learnt.
Considering the urgency, Collectors are being continuously urged to expedite preparation of DSRs and mining plans, and operationalize maximum number of sources under their jurisdiction, official sources said.
The review meeting revealed that identification of new sources in districts like Bolangir, Koraput, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Nuapada and Sundargarh is extremely poor.
Progress with regard to preparation of mining plans and submission of application for environmental clearance is not up to the mark in all districts except Khurda, the sources added.
Only a few districts including Dhenkanal, Bargarh, Jajpur, Nabarangapur and Rayagada have done well in respect of identification of new sand sources while with regard to black stone sources—Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Nayagarh, Nabarangpur, Mayurbhanj and Sambalpur and Sonepur districts have performed quite well.
However, Koraput, Kendrapara, Nuapada, Puri and Bolangir districts have not identified a single new source.
During the meeting, Collectors are asked to monitor progress made on identification of new sources, settlement of balance sources, enforcement activities to prevent illegal mining etc every week. The sub-collectors have been instructed to personally ensure that all potential sources are included in the DSR.
The Collectors were asked to nominate one deputy collector to look after minor minerals in Khurda, Jajpur, Balasore, Ganjam, Cuttack, Bolangir and Sundargarh districts.
Enforcement cells to be made functional in identified 144 tehsils at the earliest. An additional tehsildar will exclusively look after minor minerals in these tehsils.
The Revenue secretary has also instructed to take disciplinary action against poor performing field officers. Accountability has been fixed on the officers, who fail to identify new sources and take steps to operationalise them before the next review meeting.
After getting the mining plan, the tehsildar concerned will submit application for grant of environment clearance and consent to establish.
Since leases of many minor minerals will expire in next 6-12 months, the government asked the Collectors to take advance action for preparation of mining plan and renewal of EC of those sources.
