PPA calls to study new Mines Act

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, March 26: The People’s Party of Aruchal (PPA) has requested the state government to make a ratiol study on new Mines Act 2015 ected by the NDA Government.

“The government of Aruchal Pradesh needs to make a ratiol study as to how the new Mines Act will empower the mining states, particularly Aruchal in terms of providing them revenue and using part of the profits for local and tribal welfare,” said PPA general secretary Kaling Jerang in a statement.

“The proposed legislation calls for the setting up of a District Mineral Foundation where mining takes place to address the grievances of the people affected by mining,” he said.

Jerang also requested the state government to make a study on the importance and the role to be played by tiol Mineral Exploration Trust appointed by the Centre in state’s interest.

“The new Act will call state governments for granting mining leases and prospecting license-cum-mining leases for notified and other minerals, with the Centre’s approval which will prescribe the terms and conditions for selection of bidders and also the procedure for auction,” he pointed out.

“The biggest cause of worry, however, is the state’s ibility to ect its own comprehensive mining laws since the state does not have the ownership rights over the tural resources because of the wrong placement of the state under Article-371 H,” he added.

“This is the prime reason that is why the indigenous people of the state in spite of being the stake holders of the various hydropower projects have to remain mute spectators during signing of various MoUs/MoAs against the various projects,” Jerang opined.

“Unless a serious claim is made by the people of the state for ownership rights over our own resources, including mines and minerals, the state has to carry out the routine dictated terms and conditions from New Delhi without the involvement of the prime stake holders,” he added.