Shillong, Sept 27: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma informed on Thursday in Assembly that action has been taken against 11 illegal limestone quarries and said that the state government was looking at different technologies that can be used in order to check and control such illegal mining.

Replying to a call attention on illegal mining in West Jaiñtia Hills district moved by opposition Congress legislator from Umroi, George B Lyngdoh, the Chief Minister said that action has been taken against 11 such illegal quarries identified by the department with the use of GPS coordinates.

He said that divisional forest officer has also requested the district administration to invoke the provisions of section 144 CrPC in all such areas that are vulnerable to illegal mining in West Jaiñtia Hills.

The chief minister assured the House that the state government will continue to take action against all such illegal activities in the state.

While discussing the issue, Lyngdoh demanded that illegal mining should stop and if it has to be done, it should be in a legal manner so that it ensures a planned approach with strong environmental safeguards.

Stating that the illegal transportation of limestone is more startling, he wondered how the illegal miners got the challans to transport this illegally mined limestone.

“It appears that challans may have been provided by mining license holders or fake challans must have been utilised,” Lyngdoh said while pointing out to the long line of trucks ferrying limestone along the Jowai-Amlarem-Dawki road.

He said that the limestone being transported leads to only one destination, that is, Bangladesh and this illegal transportation and illegal exports led to huge revenue loss, and indicates corruption at various levels.

“These activities could have been detected by various agencies and departments like the mineral resources, forest and environment, police and BSF, transport department, customs,” the Umroi MLA said while demanding from the government to come up with stringent laws to book people involved in the illegal activity and bring on board BSF and customs to ensure that only legal export of limestone is allowed.

The Chief Minister informed that the government was looking at different technologies that could be adopted in order to ensure the system is tightened up.

“(I admit) we have financial challenges and I think if proper technology, proper administration and all stakeholders would work together, I am sure we will be able to reduce these kinds of illegal activities that is going on,” Sangma said.

He also said that it is a matter of concern as challans were made to be easy to print, adding that it time that this has to be upgraded with the use of technology.

He also assured that the forests and environment departments were fully committed to ensure that mining of minor minerals in the state including in West Jaiñtia Hills District is undertaken strictly in conformity with provisions of the Meghalaya Minor Concession Rules, 2016.

“Efforts are also being taken by to empower concerned officials in the forest department to seize illegally extracted minor mineral and file complaints before the competent courts of Law,” he said.

Sangma added that the forest departments and other departments concerned will continue to work in tandem to prevent unauthorized operation of quarry and bring the culprits to book besides enforcing the Meghalaya Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 2016 strictly throughout the state.

Earlier, the chief minister informed that the department had granted 55 mining leases which include 20 mining leases for limestone, and 32 mining leases for boulders and 3 mining leases for granite.

Of these, 9 mining leases for limestone and 6 mining leases for boulders are in West Jaiñtia Hills District, which were granted since January this year.

Apart from this, the department has also granted 103 letters of intent (LoI) for grant of mining leases for limestone, and 96 LoIs for boulders.

“The number of mining leases will increase once the LoIs which were already granted or likely to be granted, are converted into mining leases,” the Chief Minister said.