Srinagar, June 11 : Amit Sharma, Secretary to Government, Mining Department conducted a visit recently in the captive limestone mines located near Khunmoh Industrial Estate at Srinagar to take first hand account of ongoing Mining operations here. Secretary Mining was accompanied by Nisar Ahmed, Joint Director, Geology and Mining Kashmir and Javid Ahmed Rather, DMO Srinagar apart from other officials of the department.
During the visit, Secretary Mining Amit Sharma visited the active Limestone Mining sites and inspected the quality of ongoing extraction works there and to ensure that all norms are being complied with during the conduct of mining operations. The officers of Mining Department assured the Secretary that all returns are being filed on a regular basis apart from conduct of surprise checks by the teams at all the active sites from time to time.
Mining Secretary Amit Sharma was very particular that there should to total compliance of the NGT directions and all endeavours should be made for getting Environmental clearances in a timely manner and defaulters, if any, found in this behalf, should be dealt with, strictly under the provisions of various laws created to safeguard same. Amit further mentioned that limestone is a Major Mineral which falls under the purview of Central laws and it should be ensured that the mining of major minerals are done while complying with all directions being issued regarding mining of Major Minerals by the Ministry of Mining.
While expressing satisfaction over the ongoing works at this captive site wherein extracted limestone is being directly used as raw material in Cement manufacturing plants located adjacent to these mining sites, Secretary Amit Sharma issued directions that the requisite steps for the e-auctioning of limestone at other pending sites in the UT should be completed at the earliest so that public could be largely benefitted through it.
Before concluding the site visit, Secretary gave explicit directions to the Geology and Mining Department officers that maximum efforts should be channelised towards exploration and conduct of geological studies which is the core mandate of the department. Moreover, Amit Sharma further directed that the ongoing exercise should be completed to create online e-Marketplace for purchasers of Minor Minerals and creation of e-Challans strictly as per timelines so as to bring total transparency in ongoing Mining Operations inside entire UT of Jammu & Kashmir.
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