In a state where mining mafia has become audacious enough to allegedly kill a young IPS officer, the mineral resources department does not even keep record of its minister’s periodic review of illegal mining, storage and transportation. This shocking state of affairs in the department has been laid bare by the department’s reply to a recent RTI application.
The RTI plea was filed in December 2011 with the mineral resources department seeking details of reviews undertaken by the mineral resources minister (Rajendra Shukla) on illegal mining from January 1, 2011.
In a reply on January 28, the under secretary of the department said providing details will not be possible as the department does not keep such records (copy of the RTI application and reply is available with HT).
“This shows that the department is either not bothered about the rampant illegal mining activity or it is not ready to make the information public for obvious reasons,” Ajay Dubey, who filed the application, said.
This inaction has over time translated into illegal mining activity of a level that became the main point of the first ever no-confidence motion faced by the Shivraj Singh government during the last assembly session.
The death of young IPS officer Narendra Kumar points to deep-rooted politician-mafia nexus in illegal mining in the Chambal region and elsewhere. The illegal mining of the white stone found in Morena runs into hundreds of crores, sources say. The stone — quarried at Rs800 per load — is sold for Rs1,800 in Delhi and its cost escalates further internationally.
Top Chambal politicians from both the BJP and Congress have faced charges of illegal mining.
Apart from Morena, mineral rich MP has at least half a dozen other areas where the administration faces a similar threat.
The Katni-Sehora area is one such area where the local administration and illegal miners are pitted against each other. Conflicts between the local administration and miners are regular.
“The local administration is headed by a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) who is usually a regular recruit IAS officer. The local staff is usually in connivance with the mining lobby and in such circumstances it is very difficult to do anything …,” said an official who has served as SDM Katni in the past, requesting anonymity.
(With inputs from Rahul Naronha, Ashutosh Shukla and Ranjan)