Centre convenes meeting on illegal mining on Sep 21

The Centre has convened a meeting of mineral-rich states, including Karnataka and Orissa, next week to evaluate the steps taken by the state governments to check the menace of illegal mining.

"We have called a meeting with the state governments to discuss the issue of illegal mining and on iron ore exports," Mines Minister B K Handique told reporters on the sidelines of the 44th Annual General Meeting of the apex miners body FIMI.

Official sources said that Mines Secretaries from states like Karnataka, Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Goa will take part in the meeting, which may also decide the future strategy to curb illegal mining of minerals like iron ore and their exports.

Of late, the issue of illegal mining has been in the limelight, especially in the mineral rich states like Karnataka, Orissa and Jharkhand.