Mining approval within six months in Himachal Pradesh

SHIMLA: The state-level environment clearance committee will provide clearances to all the existing mines in Himachal Pradesh within six months, in accordance with the directions of the National Green Tribunal. Industries minister Mukesh Agnihotri informed this while presiding over the first meeting of State Mineral Advisory Committee in Shimla on Wednesday.
Agnihotri said this would not only ensure scientific mining in the state but also curb illegal mining. He said that with early clearances to mining, the prices of minerals were bound to come down. For this, he added, the lease holders would have to apply within three months. He said that this would also facilitate all existing mines to start their work after completion of all formalities.
He said that committee also felt that the government should approach Supreme Court for relaxing mines up to five hectares from exemption for environmental clearances. He said that efforts would be made to bring certain services in the mining under Service Guarantee Act. He said that the Government would also ensure that mining activities were not carried near bridges, water supply schemes, roads, buildings and other safety zones.
Agnihotri said that it would be mandatory for all the crushers operating in hydel projects to have a separate dedicated energy meter to have a check on the production of minerals activities. He said that it was also felt that mining lease should be provided for longer period keeping in view huge investment made by concerned persons. He said that some part of the royalty should be spent by the contractors on local area development under Local Area Fund. He said that this would not only ensure development of the area but to some extent compensate damage cost to the infrastructure.
The committee in the meeting felt that geological wing should be strengthened and mining guards should be provided with class-III status so that they could challan the defaulters and also stand in the Court of Law. The committee suggested that the government should also explore possibilities of establishing crusher clusters in identified areas of the state. He said that for this mining areas could be declared so that environmental hazards could be minimized.