TURA, Feb 9: West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh on Wednesday while highlighting various craving issues with regard to mining in the state, said that illegal mining of small scale as well as the large scale has to be stopped in order to have better management of water, Socio-economic development, transportation, livelihood and to stop damage of fertile land in the catchment areas.
The Deputy Commissioner said this during the District Level Task Force (DLTF) Meeting held to discuss and to check illegal mining and transport of minor minerals in the district today at his Office Chamber in Tura.
The Deputy Commissioner also informed that all Government departments engaged in constructions, road development, etc are to utilise minor minerals from legal mining lease holders and transport the minor minerals with valid Government Challan. He added that awareness programs would be extensively carried out across the districts by installing signboards, group discussions, etc under District Mineral Fund (DMF). Ram Singh, who happens to be the Chairman of DLTF, also decided to nominate two independent members who may be a retired Government Official or teachers or ex-serviceman or ex-judiciary to the DLTF.
Earlier, during the meeting, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) cum Secretary of DLTF, Rupanker K Marak briefed the members on the duties assigned for DLTF.
A recommendation was also made by Marak to revoke the mining lease or environmental clearance in cases of minor minerals where the conditions of mining leases or Environmental Clearance have been violated. He further informed that the DLTF shall be at liberty to constitute an independent committee of experts to assess environmental or ecological damage caused by illegal mining and recommend recovery of environmental compensation from the miners of such minerals and such recommendation may also include action under the provision of E(P) Act, 1986.
