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CoverStory                                                                                        industry








 curb mining operations in Vatsalvalasa village Gara   allegedly not taken any steps over the said huge quan-
 Mandal of Srikakulam district.”.  tities of Monazite. The mining operations in entire
 Trimex, however, has denied the allegation. “The   mining lease area is not only causing loss of revenue
 information pertaining to alleged illegal mining of   to the State Government but is also a serious threat
 beach sand minerals and export of atomic miner-  to the nation via export of these Beach Sand Miner-
 als is false and wrong. Kindly note that all the min-  als which contain Monazite (radioactive mineral). It
 ing activities of the company are in conformity with   appears even Indian Rare Earths Elements is not
 extant laws, rules and regulations. A few private indi-  aware of the wrongdoings.
 viduals with vested interests and oblique motives and   As per the investigations by the Vigilance and
 without locus-standi filed complaints with the gov-  Enforcement Directorate of Andhra Pradesh Gov-
 ernments and other agencies on several occasions   ernment, “the Trimex Industries failed to conduct
 against us,” it said.  mining operations in accordance to the scheme
 The DG recommended to the Principal Secretary,   prescribed for the mining and violated the depth of
 Revenue Department to “recover  1,295.63 crores   mining, protection of sand dunes and adequate plan-
 as no clearance was given by the Revenue Depart-  tations in and around the mining lease area as per
 ment for mining in disputed land. Enquiry needs   the environment clearance issued by the Ministry of
 Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Govern-
 the illegal export of   ment of India vide No. J-11015/175/2011-A-11(M). The   Animals dying during illegal
 Trimex Industries allegedly failed to conduct mining
 radioactive and atomic   operations in accordance to the scheme of mining   mining is a common instance
 approved by the authorities in violation of Rule 22-A
 of Mineral Conservation and Department Rules, 1988.
 minerals including   Inaction or complicity

 concentrated monazite   The Vigilance and Enforcement Department, Gov-
 ernment of Andhra Pradesh vide its another report
 tailings, which contains   dated 11.03.2016 recommended “recovery of  1295.63
 crores from Trimex Group for illegally mining and
 thorium, a mineral   selling 17,58,112 MTs of Beach Sand Minerals includ-
 ing Monazite”. The Department also recommended
 action against various state government officials of
 that can be used in   revenue department for permitting illegal mining
 operations by Trimex Industries”.a
 the nuclear industry, is   officials of Department of Mines and Geology who
 In action was also recommended against “various
 a threat to security  executed, allowed mining operations and issued tran-
 sit permits for transportation of Beach Sand Miner-
 als”. Immediate suspension of mining operations was
 also suggested as these were in violation of Rule 22-A                                        Extracts of the report
 of Mineral Concession Rule 22-A o  f Mineral Conces-
 to be initiated against the Tehsildars, Gara Mandal,   sion Rules, 1960 and Rule 13 of Mineral Conversation
 Srikakulam district who allowed mining operations   and Department Rules, 1988.  and export of atomic minerals over the last two decades.”  i.e. the entire 7.2 sq.kms of the area including the subject
 in disputed areas of un-surveyed land of Vatsavalasa   The Government of Andhra Pradesh, in its report,   The Trimex version, however, is different.”The Hon’ble   land. Both the orders are still in force and subsisting,” the
 village, Gara Mandal”.  observed that “the firm conducted mining operations   High Court restrained the Forest Department from inter-  company said in a statement.
 Same report also suggested to Principal Secre-  in Vatsavalasa, Gara villages in district Srikakulum   fering with the mining operation carried out by Trimex   The inaction of the government officials despite
 tary, Government of Andhra Pradesh to “suspend   district against the revenue clearance and minutes of   in survey numbers 216 & 217 of Vatsavalasa Village, Gara   evidence of the numerous illegalities committed by
 the mining operations as the mining lease holder   public hearing dated 07.10.2003 issued by the District   Mandal. Despite such order, the Forest Department tried   Trimex Group companies is very obviously the result of
 had failed to conduct the mining operations in    Collector, Srikakulum.  to interfere with the mining operations in the year 2012   considerable influence wielded by its promoters, official
 accordance with mining plan under Mineral Con-  Investigations will require examining overseas   under the pretext that the said Order restrained them   lethargy and the close nexus with the decision makers in
 cession Rules”. Copies of the report were sent to   holdings of the group mining companies as also the   only with the mining operations under survey numbers   the highest levels of bureaucracy and political executive,
 Principal Secretary, Revenue, Principal Secretary,   overseas companies to which exports of atomic min-  216 and 217.   reports suggest. Whether the State and the Centre will
 Industries and Commerce and Chief Secretary,   erals have taken place. Hence, this requires a thor-  Being aggrieved by such arbitrary action, Trimex   take action of their own accord, or leave it to the courts to
 Andhra Pradesh Government, however, mining and   ough and detailed probe by competent investiga-  filed another writ petition and the Hon’ble High Court    decide, will unfold now.
 illegal export of Monazite continued unabated.   tive agencies like the CBI, to probe into national and    restrained them from interfering with its mining activi-
 Till date, the Department of Atomic Energy has    international dimensions of illegal transportation   ties in all the survey numbers, which are covered by G.O   letters@tehelka.com



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