“Till date, 25 illegal mines that were operating in the state have been shut down,” siad sharma

Haryana’s Minister of Mines and Geology, Mool Chand Sharma, Monday said that “illegal mining will not be tolerated in the state, at any cost” adding that “stern action will be taken against illegal miners”. Sharma was speaking in the Vidhan Sabha while replying to a question raised by Radaur MLA Bishan Lal Saini.

Sharma added, “Till date, 25 illegal mines that were operating in the state have been shut down. Till January 2020, an amount of Rs 246.85 crore has been collected as contract money by the Mines and Geology Department and Rs 23.93 crore as GST has been deposited by the Yamuna river mining contractors of the district”.

Giving further details of government’s crackdown on illegal miners, Sharma apprised the House, “There are 18 mines in the riverbed area of Yamuna river in Yamunanagar district having a total area of 1259.97 hectares. At present, 15 mines in river Yamuna are operational having a total area of 1133.42 hectares. Mining activities in the entire state, including the district Yamunanagar, had stopped from March 1, 2010, due to litigation regarding the requirement of environmental clearance for minor mineral mining. The mining resumed in district Yamunanagar in October 2016.”