Bhopal: The mining department is finding it next to impossible to execute the chief minister’s order to stop mining from the Narmada bed completely and ban use of machines for mining from other rivers at the ground level. In fact, the announcement seems to have only spurred illegal miners, who are out to accumulate as much stock as possible before the ban is effectively enforced. The mining department lacks enough staff at the district level. In some districts, the department has only two functionaries. Even in big districts, the department team has maximum five persons. Unlike the Excise department, the mining department does not have a flying squad and that is adding to difficulties.
Mining officers are completely dependent on the police and the district administration. A mining officer, on promise of anonymity, said that the police are not very enthusiastic in joining the campaigns to curb illegal mining. According to him, police officers argue that they have better things to do than pursuing illegal miners day in and day out. The illegal miners have teams of hired goons and it is not easy to nab them. Chouhan’s announcement has led to increased vigilance at the district level but fearing for their security, the mining officers are wary of taking tough steps.
Manohar Dube, secretary of the mining department and MD of Mining Corporation, admits that the Corporation is short on staff. But he says that the action against illegal miners is always taken with the cooperation of the police and the administration and the same procedure is being adopted in implementing the chief minister’s announcements.
