Chandigarh, June 2, 2013: The Punjab government, in a bold decision to provide sand, gravel and bolder to common man on very nominal rates, has offered an opportunity to land owners for self identification of mines in their land across the State .
Disclosing this here today a spokesman of the Industry Department said that under clause 6 of the Punjab Miner Mineral Rules, 2013, Punjab government has provided this facility to land owners, that would prove to be a major boon for farmer community as well as the state and construction industry. He said that the land, in which these natural resources generally found, had very limited crop production, resulted in a loss to the farmer and state. He further said that under the new rules applications has been invited from interested land owners till June 25, 2013, who owned the land packed with natural resources. Interested owners could apply under prescribed Performa to concerned SDM cum Sub Divisional Mining Officer or General Manager cum Mining Officer, Department of Industries and Commerce office with relevant documents. The spokesman has made it clear that the identify area should be outside the buffer zone declared by forest department as Mining was strictly banned in buffer zone.
He further said that department of Industry and Commerce would select the mining area on the basis of received applications as per the guidelines of the government. The owners of selected mines would have to obtain the environment management clearance certificate issued from district level committees. The contractor itself would arrange scales and e-slips at mining places, he added.