Ecology, environment and allied vital issues are of no concern to hard core and hard shelled mining mafia indulging in illegal commercial activities of mining but what about the ‘go slow’ and indifferent administration, otherwise vested with vast powers in not containing their activities that are prejudicial to the overall larger interests of the people. It is not that the Administrative Department has not issued explicit directions in this regard but at the level of majority of Deputy Commissioners, the desired level of action is found wanting in its totality.
Needless to reiterate , not only should the members of the organised mafia be identified, the extent of damage caused due to their illegal activities assessed but suitable action , of a deterrent nature, is warranted to be taken against them. It was perhaps the Industries and Commerce Department that raised the alarm bells about the issue and consequently the General Administration Department constituted Multi- Departmental District Level Task Force Cell in the Geology and Mining Department. The composition of the Cell was broad based to make it effective in dealing with the problem and besides the concerned Deputy Commissioner being its Chairman, other members are the Superintendent of Police, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Executive Engineer concerned of Flood Control Department etc.
Should administrative activities be engrossed in making and shaping committees and sub committees only and chalking out action plans and other time consuming but entirely not optional activities and be dithering in taking the required action? Have the sites been identified that are frequented by the mafia for illegal mining activities ? There are those who conveniently violate the tenets and limits of the lease as also the limit of the quantity material extracted. The mining belts should not be left as if being no one’s property and must be frequently visited and inspected to update information about the title of the concerned land, status of mining pits with regard to existence of flora and fauna including forestation etc. All these measures are primarily required to protect the natural source from getting wantonly exploited and violated plus sending a signal to the mafia that there was no or very limited scope to hoodwink the effective administration.
It does not augur well that majority of the Deputy Commissioners have not shown eagerness in supervising and ensuring the completion of the basic work which the Task Force Cell was mandated to do . Had it been so, the Department of Geology and Mining would have received many cases of illegal mining activities which it has not from any of the Deputy Commissioners. The question remains that what utility and use, these Task Force Cells proved of, and why they were framed at all as their objective has been rendered in- fructuous .
Not only this , there is the human factor too involved as the labour engaged by this all powerful mafia is believed to be exploited not only in terms of not paying commensurate with their working hours but denying them the basic facilities and benefits as provided for under various labour laws. What annual “progress Reports” would this Task Force Cell submit in respect of various terms of reference it is mandated to work on, remains to be seen. Not only are people watching inactivity on the part of the State Administration in effectively dealing with the mining mafia but even the State High Court while dealing with Public Interest Litigation on the subject has passed numerous directions for checking illegal activities of mining mafia. Should, despite all this, the issue not be taken seriously to send clear signals to the illegal mining activities of the organised powerful mafia?
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