Sarguja Division Commissioner MS Paikra has directed officials of mining units to take all necessary action to prevent pollution generated by solid and liquid waste from coal and bauxite mines in Sarguja, Surajpur, Korea and Balrampur-Ramanujganj districts.
The directive was offered by the Commissioner in a meeting chaired by him with the officials of SECl, Hindalco, Balco, CMDC and Adani Group related to pollution prevention at his office last evening.
During the meeting, Paikra directed the SECl representative to utilise the funds from the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) account to commence the process for development of new roads and repair those damaged by transportation of minerals.
The Commissioner stated that the ground water levels recede on account of mining activities for which it is necessary to ensure maintenance of ground water levels for which construction of lakes and water harvesting system needs to be taken up.
Paikra also directed that fisheries projects be taken up in the lakes affected by mining activities to generate employment for the local people and pay more heed to the development work at the local level.
He said that the activity of mining and transport of minerals is necessary for development but not at the cost of air and water pollution and also with none of its negative impact on the health and agricultural work on the local people.
Paikra said that the land must be filled and levelled after mining activity and plantations carried out on them.
He said that dust from minerals being transported fills the houses and agricultural lands in proximity of the roads which renders the agricultural lands unsuitable for cultivation.
The Commissioner directed that minerals being transported should be covered by a tarpaulin.
He said that the mining management must adopt controlled detonation methods to prevent damage caused to property by the vibration generated by the explosion in the nearby areas.
Paikra directed the mining units to maintain sufficient cleanliness in the residential zones.
The Commissioner also directed the mining units to carry out development work locally through utilization of CSR funds.
He directed the management of mining units to make available educational, health, drinking water services and carry out infrastructure development work.