Srinagar | May 14, 2015:
A stone quarry being blasted in Athwajan on the outskirts of Srinagar. Tribune photo: Yawar Kabli
Policy change
- The “Draft Minor Mineral and Quarrying Rules” have been recalled and will be amended, Advocate General Riyaz Jan informed a division bench of the J&K High Court on Thursday
- In the previous draft, it had been suggested that mining and quarrying operations would be allotted on first come, first served basis, but the new PDP-BJP government has decided to allot the operations through auction
- The High Court, on November 20, 2013, had directed the authorities concerned to submit the draft for approval to the government for a comprehensive policy on quarrying operations in the state
The J&K Government has recalled the draft on mining and quarrying rules, which were awaiting the Chief Minister’s approval since April 2014.
In the previous draft, it had been suggested that mining and quarrying operations would be allotted on a first come, first served basis, but the new PDP-BJP coalition government has decided to allot the operations through auction.
The “Draft Minor Mineral and Quarrying Rules” have been recalled and will be amended, Advocate General Riyaz Jan informed a division bench of the J&K High Court, which is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by Sofi Arif seeking to ban illegal quarrying in the forest areas of the state, here today.
Quarrying operations in forest areas of the state have been banned by the High Court.
“In the draft, which has been recalled now, it was proposed to allot mining and quarrying operations by first come, first served basis. However, the government has now decided to go for auctioning and accordingly the draft is being amended,” Jan said, adding that the alternative sites for relocating the quarries affected by the High Court ban had already been identified.
The bench posted the mater for hearing on June 2 while observing that the framing of mining and quarrying rules was under consideration of the government.
On November 20, 2013, the High Court had directed the authorities concerned to submit the Draft Minor Mineral and Quarrying Rules for approval to the government for a comprehensive policy about quarrying operations in the state, particularly in the forest areas.
The government has already constituted a committee of officers headed by the Financial Commissioner, Industries and Commerce Department, to study the matter regarding the rehabilitation of people affected by the ban on quarrying in forest areas.
(Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/)