Small Mining Lease Holders Should Work in Clusters: Ujjwal Tah

Udaipur: “There are approximately 33,000 mines in Rajasthan, of which only 10% have mining leases covering more than 5 hectares. Most of the small and medium-scale entrepreneurs are involved in the mining business. Small mining lease holders should work in clusters in these mining areas. This will not only ensure proper compliance with government regulations but will also alleviate the financial burden on mine owners,” suggested Shri Ujjwal Tah, DGM of Mines Safety, during a discussion at UCCI.

Honorary General Secretary Dr. Pawan Telesara informed that the Udaipur Chamber of Commerce & Industry (UCCI) organized a discussion meeting at the Chamber building with Shri Ujjwal Tah, Director General of Mines Safety. The meeting was attended by Shri R.T. Mandekar, Deputy Director-General of Mines Safety for the North-Western region, Shri Bhagwati Prasad Kalal, Director of the Department of Mines & Geology, Shri Arun Mishra, CEO of Hindustan Zinc, and Dr. Kaushik Sarkar, Inspector from the Mines Department. Officials from the Mines Department and the Indian Bureau of Mines were also present.

During the discussion with mine owners, DGM Shri Ujjwal Tah emphasized that mining work cannot be done safely without experienced personnel. Therefore, mining clusters can be formed to provide training to workers. All exams related to mine safety are held online and are conducted in local languages across the country. 

Shri Ujjwal Tah also stressed the importance of coordination between mining entrepreneurs and the Mines Safety Department to resolve issues. Citing examples of exemplary mining management practices from several mine owners in Udaipur division, he pointed out that safe mining practices help avoid many problems. To take the mining business to new heights and restore its past glory, he urged mine owners to be honest about environmental conservation.

In his welcome address, President Shri M.L. Lunawat mentioned that over the past 40 years, the Mines Safety Department has provided full cooperation to mine owners, which has resulted in almost zero accidents in the region’s mines. The department’s officials have inspected even the smallest mines and understood the entrepreneurs' issues, providing positive guidance for their resolution. He suggested that the department should focus on preventive measures rather than adopting a strict approach to ensure compliance with safety rules. If small mine owners unintentionally fail to comply with rules, they should first be given an opportunity to rectify the issues.

Shri Lunawat also pointed out the inconsistency in applying mining safety laws equally to both large-scale mines and very small mining units. He proposed that inspectors should take on a more guiding role during inspections of small and unorganized mining enterprises, rather than focusing on punitive actions. He further highlighted that obtaining environmental clearance is a major challenge for mine owners and expressed hope that Udaipur division’s mining entrepreneurs will continue to receive guidance and support from the Mines Safety Department.

Mining entrepreneurs like Shri Rajendra Har Lalka, Shri Hitanshu Kaushal, Shri Kejar Ali, Shri Sharad Kataria, and Shri Hitesh Patel were also present at the discussion. 

At the end of the session, Shri M.L. Lunawat thanked all participants.