Guwahati, May 17: The Indian Bureau of Mines is irked with the governments of the northeastern states for violating rules on cancelling mining leases issued to defaulting parties.

An official of the bureau said under the mineral concession rules of 1960, the government has to cancel mining leases issued to parties if they do not begin operations within two years.

?The governments of the region should act fast and comply with the rules,? the official said.

?The government officers keep saying that steps are being taken to cancel the leases, but till date nothing has been done,? the official said.

The agency has detected 200 illegal mines in the region, particularly in Meghalaya, which operate without explosives licenses and use unscientific methods for blasting.

?The illegal mines do not get any assistance from any financial institute, as do not have any mining plan or lease,? the official said.

?We cannot do much as the leases are issued by the government,? a senior bureau official said. The bureau, which has a sub-regional office in Guwahati, is a regulatory body under the Union ministry of mines and monitors the mines (expect coal and oil) in the region.

The state governments require the bureau?s clearance to issue leases.

There are 14 mines in the Northeast and Sikkim, 12 for limestone and two copper. Of the 12 limestone mines, five each are in Assam and Meghalaya and one each in Nagaland and Manipur.

The official said small industries purchase minerals from these illegal mines, dealing a big blow to the state exchequer.

The bureau organises free training for geologists and mine engineers of the region. Machines and equipment are also distributed to the geology and mining departments of the states. The bureau is planning an investors? meet to invite mineral companies to survey the vast mineral resources of the region.