Department of Textiles, Commerce & Industry, Govt. of Manipur organised an awareness programme on ‘Mining of Minor Minerals in Manipur’. Today at DIC complex, Porompat, Imphal East The programme was organised by the in association with Department of Forest & Environment and Water Resources, Govt. of Manipur. Principal Secretary (Textiles, Commerce & Industry) Shri P. Vaiphei, Director of Trade, Commerce & Industries, Shri C. Arthur Worchuiyo, Conservator of Forest, Shri Joykumar Singh and Geologist, Directorate of Trade, Commerce & Industries, Shri W. Inaocha Singh spoke during the awareness programme. Government of Manipur inform this through a Press Release.

In his opening remarks, Principal Secretary (Textiles, Commerce & Industry) said, ‘minerals are classified into two parts- major mineral and minor mineral. Minor minerals mean ordinary sand, building stones, gravel, and ordinary clay among others. The demand for sand has increased over the years and extraction of sand at unsustainable levels far exceeding the replenishment rates has lead to an increase in water pollution and impacted the biodiversity.’

Through the Press Release the Government stated, it has become necessary to regulate the extraction of sand from river beds with required environmental safeguards, to ensure its availability for the infrastructure development of the State. Provisional quarry license permit can be obtained with due submission of the mining plan. In respect of hill areas it is mandatory to obtain environmental clearance and forest clearance from the concerned authority. Permit is to be issued by the Director of Trade, Commerce & Industries. Individuals interested in the extraction or quarrying operation of minerals can approach either Director (Trade, Commerce & Industries) or the General Manager (GM),District Industries Centre (DIC).

The GM(DIC’s) have been authorized by an order of the Govt. to help and assist the Director in all respect. It has been reported that some of the Deputy Commissioners have taken proactive measures to collect the application forms for Mining permits/quarry permits and have already began distribution process. All the DC’s have been sensitized on the issue and have been instructed to sensitize the SDO’s, SDC’s and all the officers in the districts.  He also reiterated the major role played by Water Resources Department(WRD) as most sand extraction are carried out in rivers/riverbeds.

In case hills areas, permits are also necessary for stones which are not only extracted from the rivers, but also from the mountains/hills. For any further query, interested individuals may contact Shri W. Inaocha Singh, Geologist of the department on mobile no. 9862036742. Shri P. Vaiphei also stressed on the fact that the National Green Tribunal has prohibited extraction of Sand from Sekmai river in the year 2013, which is still in force.

Director of Trade, Commerce & Industries, Shri C. Arthur Worchuiyo speaking during the awareness programme stated that permit is mandatory even for extraction of minerals on patta land. Interested individuals may submit the prescribe form along with the mining plan to the Director. The Directorate will examine the applications and forward the same to the State Level Committee for provisional mining or quarry lease which is to be signed both by govt. and applicants.

Conservator of Forest, Shri Joykumar Singh said in his speech that for forest clearance can be obtained online under Forest Conservation Act. During the awareness programme, Geologist of  Directorate of Trade, Commerce & Industries, Shri W. Inaocha Singh while present “The Manipur Minor Minerals Consensus Rules, 2012”  with power point presentation. He said that to extend the rules in the entire state of Manipur, a Gazette notification has already been published and came to effect from March 7, 2013.