SHILLONG:
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has recommended the state government to take action against erring Forest department officials for failing to detect illegal mining activities in the state.
“Government may fix responsibility of the erring forest department officials for their failure to detect illegal mining activities,” said the CAG in its report on revenue sector for the year ended March 31, 2022.
In Meghalaya, no mining lease/quarry permits were granted for extraction of sand in the State.
However, 5.35 lakh cu.m of sand had been utilised by contractors engaged by 26 user agencies under the three selected DFOs (T) during the period from April 2016 to March 2021, for which no royalty was realised.
Audit further observed that neither the contractors nor the user agencies could ascertain the source of the sand.
“Despite the fact that no mining leases was granted for sand in the State and that sand is an integral component/material for all civil works, the Department did not take any action to trace out the persons involved in illegal mining of sand and to levy penalty as per the provision of MMMC Rules, 2016,” the report said.
On this being pointed out, the department stated in March 2023, that though sand is being treated as a minor mineral under Section III of MMMC Rules, 2016, yet, the same Rules (Rule 4(1) & 4.2(c)) prohibits granting of mining leases for sand mining from river bed/river bank and agricultural fields located within the vicinity of 50 meters from the water bodies/agricultural fields.
The department, however, further stated that Rule 4 of MMMCR, 2016 has been amended in July 2022, which provides that the restrictions mentioned under the rule shall no more apply to river bed sand mining and river bed mining.
Illegal mining detected during joint site inspection
For joint physical verification (JPV), Audit had selected 32 mining sites. During JPV of the selected mining sites, Audit came across mining activities, in areas where mining lease have not been granted by the Department.
The report said the audit findings are based on random site visits during JPV and did not present an exhaustive picture adding “Thus, existence of more illegal mining activities in other areas/Divisions could not be ruled out.”
The department stated in March 2023 that for all illegal mining activities in East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi districts, the DFOs have served closure notices and for cases detected during JPV in Jaintia Hills, the illegal mining was being done in areas of abandoned mines.
“The department’s reply is not acceptable as the department failed to invoke the provision of punitive action prescribed under Rule 36 of MMMCR 2016 to immediately stop the illegal mining activities even after being pointed out in Audit,” the CAG said while adding that besides, the department’s reply that illegal mining detected in Jaintia Hills during JPV were in areas of abandoned mines, is unacceptable as MMMCR 2016 did not permit mining activities in areas of abandoned mines.
Illegal mining detected by the department
The CAG said that scrutiny of records of the three selected DFOs revealed that during the period from 2017-18 to 2020-21, the department had detected 631 illegal mining operations.
It said that 372 out of 631 illegal mining activities (59 per cent) had been detected under DFO (T), Shillong, followed by DFO(T), Tura and DFO, Jowai with 211 (33 per cent) and 48 (eight per cent) respectively.
“It can also be seen that despite being aware of the existence of illegal mining activities, the department failed to take any action in 420 illegal mining cases. This indicates a lacklustre attitude of the Department in discharging their mandatory responsibility,” it said.
“There were 123 legal mining in the state as of March 2021 and 111 legal mines in the selected DFOs. Thus, the above finding reflects that there are activities of illegal mining more than legal mining in the state,” it added.
Meanwhile, the department had stated that for all illegal mining activities in East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi districts, the DFO has served closure notices. With regard to illegal mining operation of quarry/stone crusher in Jaintia Hills, no action has been taken in 18 cases since the accused are unknown and some of the areas where the minerals were seized have already been compounded. With regard to illegal quarries in Garo Hills, the DFO Tura has closed down the quarries.