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Illegal mining is there in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Orissa. Jharkhand is my neighbouring State and my district was once a part of Bihar. You see, Purulia was a part of Bihar. There were 3178 illegal mining cases in Rajasthan, 8370 in Maharashtra, 7570 in Andhra Pradesh, 1687 in Karnataka – it is less Anant Kumar ji – and 1068 cases in Chhattisgarh against whom no action has been taken. … (Interruptions) In Orissa, 60 per cent of the mines are illegal mines. That was inquired by a Committee, CEC, which was constituted by the Supreme Court, and they identified that at least 60 per cent of iron ore and coal-mines are illegal. So the problem is also enormous in the State of Orissa.
“The State Lokayukta submitted his Report to State Government in December, 2008. The State Government has submitted a compliance report covering all aspects included in the hon. Lokayukta’s Report to the hon. Lokayukta on 9.7.2009. Action Taken Report is at Annexure I. The matter is followed up with the State Government.” It is your own reply.
Sir, I would just like to ask your goodself one thing. Because the provocative stance is taken by the Central Government on the issue, there has been a visible action on the ground against illegal mining during the year 2009. The State Government detected 41,578 cases of illegal mining of minor and major minerals out of which it lodged 989 FIRs and 5,016 court cases. Shri Ananth Kumar, I am giving credit to Karnataka Government of BJP. The State Government further collected Rs. 7,256 lakh as fine from the illegal miners. The State Government also suspended 4,809 mines and cancelled 38 leases. This Action Taken Report is given by the hon. Chief Minister of Karnataka.
MR. CHAIRMAN: We will take ‘Zero Hour’ also. But please wait for some more time.
*SK. SAIDUL HAQUE (BARDHMAN-DURGAPUR): It is of grave concern that illegal mining is gradually growing up all over the country. On December 7, 2009 the minister of Mines himself admitted in Rajya Sabha that instances of illegal mining of minerals have come into the notice of the Government in various parts of the country. As per Government report during the year 2009 the state government have detected 58294 cases of illegal mining of major/minor minerals involving an area of 8267,469 Hec; 1409 FIR(s) have been lodged, 7306 numbers of court cases have been filed, out of which 5759 cases have been decided and a total of Rs. 105.06 crores has been collected as fine. This is just a very small part of the huge amount with regard to illegal mining.
Sir, the Parliamentary Committee on Illegal Mining identified 14,504 illegal mines in 2005. I do not know what the actual figure is.
MR. CHAIRMAN : Pandaji, please wind up in one minute.
SHRI PRABODH PANDA : Sir, please give me two minutes. It is expected that the GoM is about to address all the points and problems relating to the illegal mining. So, the question is whether the Government is going to bring in the legislation for adoption.
It appears that the Government of India is going to set up a Commission to check illegal mining. How would they check, I do not know. A regulatory authority may be set up to detect, investigate and prosecute cases involving illegal mining. There is the Indian Bureau of Mines but it is a toothless regulator. There should be focus on the sector so that all the problems can be solved. The interests of the local people, the consent of the local Panchayats, the consent of the District Panchayats, the share in profit for the local people, recruitment in the mines, the environmental question, the question of rehabilitation, all these questions are there. Is the GoM prepared to address all these points? A comprehensive legislation is what is needed and that legislation should address all these things.