Ladakh L-G chairs meeting on e-auction of minor minerals

The Lieutenant-Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier BD Mishra (Retd), chaired a meeting to discuss arrangements for the e-auction of minor mineral blocks/plots in with the officials concerned .

Principal Secretary Sanjeev Khirwar informed the LG that minor minerals are defined under Section 3(e) of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, as ‘building stone, gravel, ordinary clay, ordinary sand other than sand used for prescribed purposes, and any other mineral which the central government may, by notification in the official gazette, declare to be minor mineral.’

He also informed that the government is empowered to make rules in respect of minor minerals as per the MM (D&R) Act 1957. He apprised the L-G of the committee constituted for preparing minor mineral blocks/plots on state land in 2021 and the identification of 67 minor mineral blocks/plots of state land in Leh and Kargil districts, out of which 25 blocks/plots (13 from Leh and 12 from Kargil) have been approved by the stakeholder departments.

Sanjeev Khirwar, apprised the L-G of the request made by the Chairman, LAHDC Kargil, for an additional nine new blocks/plots in and around Kargil district. He also apprised the LG of the important statutory provisions related to the auctioning process, including the need for a District Survey Report, the option of levying land use fee and the constitution of a UT-level Environment Impact Assessment Authority and Committee for securing environment clearances.

Khirwar apprised the L-G about the e-auction portal, the introductory online VC training session conducted early this year for onboarding bidders/entities on the MSTC portal, interest shown by 82 bidders who have signed with MSTC and the preparation of a draft bid document for the e-portal by the concerned department.

He also apprised the LG of the observations made by both the LAHDCs. He also informed the LG about the way forward, including going ahead with the e-auction of the minor mineral blocks; framing of the amendments to the DMFT rules to make them relevant to UT Ladakh and the issuance of the draft bid document after addressing the concerns/observations raised by the Hill Councils.

The LG appreciated the concerned departments and officials for initiating the process of e-auction of minor mineral blocks, keeping the concerns of local interest in mind. He also asked them to take measures to address the concerns raised by the Hill Councils and discuss the matter with them. He also asked the concerned officials to ensure that the district survey report is strictly followed for environmental protection, particularly those related to riverbed extraction.