Rajasthan: SC grants relief to lease-quarry license holders awaiting environmental clearance
Jaipur, March 27 (IANS) The Supreme Court (SC) has granted a two-month extension for minor mineral lease holders and quarry license holders in Rajasthan up to five hectares to obtain environmental clearance (EC) from the state-level committee.
This relief applies to those who had previously secured environmental clearances at the district level. The new deadline is now set for May 31, 2025.
Principal Secretary, Mines and Petroleum, T. Ravikant, stated that this extension was granted following the Rajasthan government’s special mention application before the SC.
He said that the state government is actively coordinating with the State-Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) to streamline the environmental clearance process, adding that the government is also continuously making effective efforts to provide relief to the mine holders, and on one hand, coordination work is being done to get environmental clearances by constantly coordinating with the SEIAA.
SME-level officer Pratap Meena has been appointed as the nodal officer to oversee coordination between the government, Mines Department, and SEIAA.
At the field level, officials are working closely with mine holders to complete necessary formalities and expedite approvals.
Director of Mines, Deepak Tanwar, provided an update on the Parivesh Portal status, stating that 22,700 mine lease and quarry license holders have been validated by SEIAA and directed to upload Form 2.
So far, 19,038 mine holders have completed the Form 2 submission, and 6,814 mine holders have successfully received their environmental clearances from SEIAA.
He further stated that efforts are ongoing to ensure the remaining mine holders complete their applications and receive approvals from SEIAA and the State Expert Committee (SEC).
The state government’s proactive approach and effective advocacy have ensured that mine operators get the necessary time and assistance to comply with environmental regulations, said officials.
–IANS
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