Chandigarh, May 24, 2013: The Punjab government has issued amended notification for environmental approval of mines having area below five hectares. With this amended notification now it would easier to get environmental approval for mines.
Disclosing this here today, Anil Joshi, Industry and Commerce Minister, Punjab said that The Punjab Government has issued this amended notification under the "The Punjab Minor Mineral Rules, 2013" to ease out the supply of minor minerals in the state. He said that said that under these rules, the Environmental management plan could be prepared by any engineer who posses civil, environment, mining degree or post graduate. He said that the environment management plan would be accorded directly by a district level committee, headed by concerned Deputy Commissioner.
Joshi further said that environment, forest, drainage and other officers from related departments would be inducted in the district level committee as members. He said that the main aim behind the amended rules is to make sure that people could get sand, gravel and bricks on very nominal rates. He said that amended rules would prove to be beneficial both for common man as well as the government.