Question raised in Lok Sabha on Sand Mining, 17/11/2016
Question raised in Lok Sabha on Sand Mining, 17/11/2016. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF & CC) has formulated Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines in September, 2015 to mitigate the environment impact of mining activities. The Guidelines, inter-alia, emphasize identifying the areas suitable for mining (the site of aggradation) and areas not suitable for mining (sites near infrastructures and prone to erosion); monitoring plans to evaluate the long-term effect of the mining activities both upstream and downstream of sand extraction sites and streamlining the process of impact assessment, environment management plan and environmental clearance in cluster situation. The MoEF & CC has so far given 156 clearances; State-wise breakup of the environmental clearances accorded by MoEF & CC since 2006 is at Annexure.