The Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat directed officials concerned to take concrete action to clamp down on illegal mining in the state. The district magistrates, officials of mining and transport departments should work in coordination to achieve this, he stressed. It is the responsibility of officials to ensure that the business of illegal mining is eradicated from the State. The district magistrates should also adopt stern measures for this purpose, he said.
Chairing a meet in the secretariat related to mining, the Chief Minister said that e-tendering of mining lots should be expedited. All the new lots should also be included in this process. The areas where the GMVN, KMVN and the Uttarakhand forest development corporation have expressed inability to conduct mining, should also be included in the e-tendering process. He also directed officials to inspect fish ponds and prepare report of the past five years on the fish ponds. Rawat also directed officials to keep an eye on illegal mining being conducted under the guise of leveling the land. Royalty system should also be fixed for such activity. This will enable the farmers to get adequate price for the material being taken out of their land. He stressed that such business should not spoil the form of the farm or cause deterioration of the soil. He also directed officials to monitor the stone crushers being operated in different parts of the State. The materials brought to stone crushers also need to be checked. Stringent measures should be taken to tackle any anomalies being orchestrated in the workings of stone crushers, he said. In mountainous areas, the quarried material should be made available at the site. He directed officials to soon start the works 500 metres downstream of rivers. The local conditions should also be assessed for the mining works, he stressed.