Mines and geology secretary Jai Shankar Tiwary addresses the meeting at IICM, Kanke. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, June 17: Illegal mining has increased. Over 600 FIRs were lodged in the past year. The state lost over Rs 55 crore due to the activity.

Such facts and others came to the fore at a meeting of the state-level task force on illegal mining today. The task force had submitted a report that had these details.

Chief secretary A.K. Basu chaired the meet at IICM auditorium in Kanke. Home secretary Sudhir Tripathi was also present at the event organised to discuss ways to control illegal mining.

Police booked 1,224 persons and arrested 398 to prevent illegal mining in the districts during 2007-08, stated the state-level task force on illegal mining.

The state earned about Rs 155 crore in raids and penalty alone, the task force’s report added, giving an idea of how much the market for illegal mining was thriving. The state exchequer lost over Rs 50 crore due to illegal mining of coal and about Rs 5 crore due to illegal mining of other ores, the report said.

The chief secretary emphasised on strictly following the mineral dealer rule to prevent the state from losing money and royalty due to the illegal activity.

The rule states that a dealer of ore operating outside the lease area should get a permit from the local mining office.

The issue of district mining offices not being properly equipped to deal with the situation also came to the fore at the meeting. The mining officers were told to seek the help of the deputy commissioners and the superintendents of police concerned in case they have a law and order problem in their hands.

The authorities demanded that the meeting of district-level task force, which is headed by the deputy commissioners concerned, be organised once a month so that illegal mining can be tackled.

The meeting of the state-level task force on illegal mining is taking place after almost two years.

The task force comprises senior police officers, forest department officials, representatives of mining companies, deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and district mining officers.

The state task force was constituted to keep tabs on illegal mining.