20 mines in Bellary start work after R&R implementation.

The implementation of the Reclamation and Rehabilitation (R&R) plan for the mining areas are under various stages in Bellary district.

According to the present status of the implementation, of the total 115 mining leases in forest areas, the R&R plan has been prepared for 72 mining firms by the Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education, and are under various stages of implementation.

Official sources in the Forest Department told The Hindu that as per the R&R plan, the works of erecting boundary pillars, dump stabilisation, terrace work around the dump, retaining wall around the dump, geo-textile implementation at slope of dump to develop green belt, plantation along the lease boundary, construction of settling tank, check dams and gully checks, garland drain around the dump, among other things had to be executed.

Enquires revealed that over 20 mining companies, after successfully implementing the R&R plan and obtaining all the statutory clearances, have started the extraction of ore while the rest, which have executed the plan are yet to start functioning for want of statutory clearances, including the Forest Department’s clearance.

The Hindu