Jamshedpur | April 20, 2017: District mining department of East Singhbhum has warned all mining lease holders to deposit the prescribed tax and lease fee within 30 days. On failure to deposit the said amount, the remaining period of the lease will automatically expire, the officials said. Lessees of major mines will have to pay the amount within a period of 60 days, sources said.

The warning was issued in a meeting convened on Thursday by the district mining officer BP Singh at Circle House Area, Bistupur. Singh told the lessees about the new rules prescribed by the department. Under the new rules, 30 per cent of the royalty amount will have to be deposited with the District Mining Foundation Trust. The mining lease holders will also have to submit documents related to environmental clearance on an urgent basis.

During the meeting, the lease holders discussed various problems being faced by them. They demanded issuance of temporary permits and formulation of rules in this regard so that development works are not affected in any way. They also demanded that gram sabha meetings should be convened before the auction of sand ghats.

As per mining department officials, mining lease holders will have to pay double the amount paid by them earlier with effect from 2nd March under Jharkhand Mines and Minerals Concession Rules 2017.

The mining lease holders also demanded that sands should not be allowed to be supplied to Jharkhand from West Bengal and Odisha while claiming that it caused revenue loss to the state.

(Source: http://www.avenuemail.in/)