Jaipur | May 09, 2016: After National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, about 30,000 mines that are yet to get environmental clearance (EC) are facing the risk of closure in the state. Though owners who have applied for EC till March 31 have been granted relaxation till May 31 to operate and receive EC.

The NGT on May 4 refused to grant further extension to the mine owners for getting the environmental clearance.

"Mine owners who have not submitted the applications for environmental clearance as on March 31 to State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and DEIAA, shall be shut down forthwith and will not be permitted to carry on any mining activity in any manner whatsoever," noted the bench.

In its earlier ruling on February 27, 2012, the SC had made it mandatory even for the mines under 5 hectares to get the clearance.

The state has to grant ECs to more than 30,000 mines. Officials though claim that it would be impossible to issue ECs in such a short time.

"State authority lacks the manpower to grant EC of this scale. In 2015, it received 13,000 applications but could issue only 1,100 ECs," added the official.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)