Rs 1,060 cr recovered as fines on illegal miners: Govt

New Delhi: The government has recovered Rs 1,060 crore as fines on illegal miners, Mines Minister Dinsha Patel told Rajya Sabha on Monday. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, he said 9,510 FIRs have been registered during last three and half years against illegal miners in different states. [caption id=“attachment_665433” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Mines Minister Dinsha Patel has told Rajya Sabha that the government has recovered Rs 1,060 crore as fines on illegal miners.[/caption] Besides, 2.47 lakh vehicles (carrying illegally mined minerals and metals) have been seized, he said. “Illegal mining is a matter of concern to us because national wealth is being looted,” he said. Patel said Rio Tinto Exploration India Pvt Ltd was granted a permit to explore for diamonds over an area of 954 hectares in Chattarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. After exploration, a 70 sq km area was delineated for development and two licences were given, he said adding the company has already invested Rs 384 crore out of a total investment of Rs 2,200 crore envisaged. Patel said 17 applications for mining leases have been received from the Madhya Pradesh government. Of these, 8 applications are for prior approval under Section 5(1) of the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act 1957 for mining of iron ore, bauxite and manganese ore. Only in the case of 11 atomic minerals and 10 major minerals, prior approval of the Central government is sought. The applications pending include Jaiprakash Associates’ four applications for mining of lime stones, Grasim Cement Industries’ proposal for mining lime stone at two places and Jiwan Lime Chemicals Pvt Ltd’s application for bauxite and laterite mining. PTI