Govt declares mining applications for 277 areas in State ‘ineligible’
* As many as 6,413 applications across the State, including 3,641 in Vidarbha region alone are now ‘ineligible’ By Kartik Lokhande In a major development, Directorate of Geology and Mining (DGM) has declared mining applications for 277 notified areas across Maharashtra as ‘ineligible’. While issuing a notification to this effect, the Directorate has stated that provisions under Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment (MMDR) Act, 2015, prompted this action. These include a total of 6,413 applications for various notified areas across the State. More than half of this number -- 3,641 -- are for 131 areas in Vidarbha region alone. The notification issued by DGM, Government of Maharashtra, states that it had invited applications for mineral concession vide its various previously published notifications under Sections 11 (2) and 11 (4) of MMDR Act of 1957. However, it adds, the Central Government has promulgated MMDR Act, 2015, wherein Section 10 A (1) states...