The expert appraisal committee (EAC) on non-coal mining sector passed these directions during their meeting on August 24, minutes of the meeting show.
With the role of stone and granite quarries in worsening the Kerala floods under spotlight, the Union environment ministry's expert panel on non-coal mining sector projects has deferred proposals seeking environmental clearance. It has also directed the Kerala government to provide detailed information on quarries in the state. The expert appraisal committee (EAC) on non-coal mining sector passed these directions during their meeting on August 24, minutes of the meeting show.
According the Comptroller and Auditor General's 2017 report on economic activities in Kerala, between 2011-12 and 2015-16, 11,059 quarrying permits were granted and 20,821 cases of illegal mining were detected by the Department of Mining and Geology. This includes cases of quarrying, illegal transportation, and illegal storage of minor minerals.
According to environmental experts, including eminent ecologist Madhav Gadgil, deforestation caused by rampant quarrying caused landslips in Idukki, Wayanad and Palakkad during recent floods, killing many. Earlier this week, landslips occurred in hills in Palakkad and were attributed to quarries operating in the hilly areas.
The EAC noted in its minutes that the state environment impact assessment authority, that appraises category B2 or mining projects of smaller scale, had not been reconstituted after its tenure expired. The EAC noted, "Kerala is suffering from natural disasters, floods and torrential rains. Although exact reasons for such disaster is yet to be ascertained, as per media reports, mining may be one of the reasons."
It added that it was receiving several proposals seeking environmental clearance in the absence of a functional state authority and had no clear idea of how intensive the mining activity is and what would its cumulative impact.
"The committee, therefore, is of the view that considering the situation in the state of Kerala, it is necessary to have a holistic view on mining in the state. Accordingly, ministry may ask the state government to provide the relevant details pertaining to mining in the state of Kerala," the EAC said.
The CAG report had revealed large scale malpractices and deficiencies in the stone quarrying sector. It pointed out that Kerala had ordered auctioning of quarrying rights on government land but the same was not implemented. It had also pulled up the Kerala government for not following Supreme Court 2012 order directing that a green clearance was must for mining projects.
"The environment sub-committee of legislative assembly had flagged that there was no uniform data on quarries between the geology department, pollution control board and panchayats. The CAG too had flagged malpractices," said Harish Vasudevan, environmental lawyer.
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