Category: News

Petition against illegal mining draws attention to poor resource management, environmental impact

Yeh koyle ki khaan ek ajgar hai… joh roz anginat mazdooron ko nighalta hai aur unhe chabake, peeske, kuchalke… ek laash ki soorat mein unhe vapas ughal deta hai (This coal mine is a python which swallows countless workers every day and chews them, crushes them, smashes them and then spits out their dead bodies): Yash Chopra isn’t best remembered for Kaala Patthar (1979), which focused on the Chasnala mining disaster that took place near Dhanbad and claimed nearly 400 lives. Instead, he’s known for tulip fields, Swiss snow dust and the romantic woes of bipolar Indians. Activists feel that is the problem with mining. Particular incidents are of national interest but the reasons, allowing them to occur and re-occur, aren’t dramatic enough to hold a nation’s attention. Read more

Courtesy: First Post

Govt receives about Rs 5,000 cr through DMF

Nearly Rs 5,000 crore has been collected so far through District Mineral Foundation (DMF), which will be utilised by the states for the development of places and people affected by mining-related operations.

The Mines Ministry is monitoring the implementation of the DMF and the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY). “So far about Rs 5,000 crore has been collected in the fund (DMF),” an official said.

The official further said, except for Tamil Nadu, all the remaining major mineral-bearing states have instituted DMF and adopted guidelines in Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana, the official said.
As follow up of Committee of Secretaries’ (CoS) meetings, discussions were held with National Institute of Smart Government (NISG) for development of a national portal to monitor the implementation of projects/schemes being undertaken under this major welfare initiative of the Centre, the official added. Read more

Courtesy: Business Standard

Rights for the rightful owners

On this day 10 years ago the historic Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act was passed in the Lok Sabha. Its conception and passage was the result of the decades of struggles and sacrifices of millions of tribals across India, of their organisations, of numerous activists and intellectuals working on tribal issues, and because of the commitment and efforts of the Left parties. Read more

Courtesy: The Hindu

Supreme Court judgement lands tribals in doldrums

The Court held that the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002,  a Parliament enacted legislation, will have overriding effect over the Tripura Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act, 1960, which restricts sale of mortgaged properties by the banks to non-tribal. Read more

Courtesy: The Hans India

Vig To Probe J’suguda Illegal Deposit Of DMF Fund

Vigilance will probe into allegations of favouring a private bank by the then Project Director of DRDA cum Chief Executive Officer of DMFT, Jharsuguda violating norms in regard to deposit of huge sum of fund of District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT) in the district.

It is learnt that more than Rs 69 crore was deposited in the bank account without knowledge of the then district Collector Paramesaran B. After the mater became public, the Vigilance has directed for probe into the matter.

Sources said an amount of Rs 69,73,98,000 of DMFT was deposited in a private bank till May. As per circular of State Finance Department, State grant can be deposited only in 11 notified nationalized banks, two regional banks and one private bank. But violating all norms, the money was deposited in an un-notified private bank under savings account carrying less interest rate resulting in loss to the State exchequer to a tune of more than Rs 20 lakh per month. Read more

Courtesy: the pioneer

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