PASIGHAT, Nov 25: East Siang DC Dr Kinny Singh has asked all the Assistant Mineral Development Officers (AMDOs) to check and monitor illegal mining practices within East Siang district.
Chairing a district level task force (DLTF) board meeting here on Tuesday, the DC directed the AMDOs to identify all the entry and exit points of vehicles to and from the quarry sites and deploy mineral-guards immediately.
Informing that she would personally conduct unannounced visits to the quarry sites to ensure presence of the guards/staff, Singh said absenteeism would be viewed seriously.
“The administration has prohibited movement of trucks and vehicles carrying illegally mined and excavated sand, silt etc within the district and the order shall remain in force until further orders,” said the DC.
She directed the AMDOs to furnish within three days the list of permits issued during the last two months.
“Private land/quarry owners were exempted from payment of government royalty up to 50 cms of minor mineral but they have to obtain mining permit from the concerned department compulsorily otherwise it would be treated as illegal mining,” she said.
Dr Singh also directed the DFO (T) to be always present in the DLTF meeting to make necessary arrangement to aid the department of Geology & Mining in the vulnerable reserved forest areas to check and monitor illegal mining.
The district administration has banned extraction of any riverbed materials and collection of driftwood along the Siang river bank, and issued a prohibitory order that strict action would be initiated against the defaulters as per the appropriate rule.
SP Rajiv Ranjan Singh, the DTO (MV), the DLRSO, the inspector (T&E), the DDI and the AMDOs of East Siang district were present in the meeting. (DIPRO)
