Rlys asked to check illegal mining of iron ore in J’khand

Ranchi | Kolkata: Following the footsteps of Karnataka and Orissa, Jharkhand has now decided to crack down on illegal mining of iron ore. The state government has urged divisional railway managers (DRMs) to take steps to check rampant incidents of illegal mining, especially involving iron ore.

Speaking to ET, state mines secretary N N Sinha said the government requested DRMs of Adra, Chakradharpur, Ranchi, Dhanbad and Malda to ensure that the output from the mines are transported through the railways only with proper transport challans. “We have reports that large-scale illegal mining is taking place through the railway network, especially in the West Singhbhum (Chaibasa) district, which is home to huge reserves of iron ore. We have asked railways to monitor and check it,” Mr Sinha said. Besides iron ore, other minerals like coal and bauxite — mined illegally in Dhanbad, Ramgarh and Hazaribagh districts of Jharkhand — are also being transported through the railway network.

Mr Sinha said the government has already activated task force at the district level to check illegal mining. The task force comprises deputy commissioner and officials of the police, mining and forest departments. “The task force in West Singhbhum has conducted a few raids too,” he said.

“Illegal mining is causing huge revenue loss to the state exchequer. Besides, it is also depleting the vast natural reserves of the state,” Mr Sinha said, adding “there is a big nexus of criminal elements in the act”. He, however, did not quantify the loss in revenues suffered by the state as a result of this.

The fresh move by Jharkhand is a part of the nation-wide offensive against illegal mining. Its neighbouring state, Orissa, has already taken a drive against it in a big way last month. The Naveen Patnaik government had suspended work in at least 69 iron ore mines after the private operators failed to produce documents to prove their mining activity was legal. The moves along with imposition of 144 Crpc at railway sidings in mineral-rich Keonjhar district had brought movement of iron ore to a standstill over a month.