Rules to check illegal mining

Chandigarh, July 21 (UNI) With a view to check illegal mining, the Haryana Cabinet today approved the proposal of the Mines and Geology Department to enact Haryana Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation and Storage) Rules, 2006.

As per the rules, no person shall transport or cause to transport or carry any mineral by any means from the place of raising to another place without being in possession of a valid weight slip.

The holder of a mining lease or mining contract or any other mineral concession shall make an application in form A, in duplicate to the authorised officer for issue of weight slip book.

All despatches of minerals shall be accompanied by a challan or weighment slip in duplicate in Form B. The person incharge of the carrier shall have to produce the challan or weight slip at the check post enroute or on demand by any competent authority or any such officer authorised in this behalf.

In case of transportation of minerals by holder or prospecting licensee for test purposes or minerals purchased by auction, in addition to the weight slip, a special permit by the concerned authority or authorised auctioner, as the case may be, shall suffice.

The challan or weight slip shall be in quadruplicate, machine numbered with book number and serial number of the slip obtainable at a specified cost. All carriers carrying minerals shall stop at the check post or gates and proceed after having been cleared by the check posts or check gates authorities, who shall make necessary endorsement on the duplicate copy held by the incharge of the carrier.

Challan or weight slip issued by the authorised officer and duly certified by him for inter-state movement shall be allowed by another State. The State Government may direct the setting up of check post or erection of barrier or both at any place within the State by an order inviting to check the transport and storage of minerals raised without lawful authority.

In case, any person raises, without any lawful authority, any mineral from any land and if it has already been disposed of by him, the State Government may recover from such person the price of the mineral and royalty as the case may be.

In case a person is found indulging in unauthorised extraction of mineral, he would have to deposit the price and royalty on the mineral raised in an unauthorised manner within 15 days of the issue of the orders.

The State Government may by notification exempt any person or class of persons from the purview of these rules, provided mineral is stored or carried for the purpose of scientific test and research work only.

Any person aggrieved by any order made by the authorised officer may within 30 days of the date of communication of the order appealed to Director, Mines and Geology. Any person aggrieved by the order made by the Director, Mines and Geology in this behalf may file an appeal before the state government within 30 days from the date of communication of the order to him. Every application shall be accompanied with a fee of Rs 100.

UNI JN VD BD1658