Meeting of Mineral Development, Environmental Protection, and Illegal Mining Monitoring Committee Held

Udaipur: A meeting of the Mineral Development, Environmental Protection, and Illegal Mining Monitoring Committee was held on Wednesday at the District Collector's office under the chairmanship of District Collector Namit Mehta.

During the meeting, the District Collector directed that environmental protection, development, and rehabilitation activities be prioritized in mining-affected areas. He instructed officials to identify new locations for tree planting and ensure that workers and personnel working in various mines use PPE kits to prevent silicosis.

**155 Cases Registered in 2024-25, Recovery of ₹1.40 Crore**  
Mining Engineer Asif Ansari informed that during the financial year 2024-25, a revenue of ₹908 crore was generated. Strict action has been taken against illegal mining, construction, and other mineral-related violations. So far, 155 cases have been registered in the current financial year, leading to a recovery of ₹1.40 crore. FIRs have been lodged in 33 of these cases at police stations. The Mining Engineer also shared that mining leaseholders near the Sports Village have been conducting tree planting on UDA land and have built a boundary wall for the same.

**Focus on Increased Tree Plantation**  
The meeting also discussed the environmental issues caused by hill cutting and mining activities. The District Collector instructed mining leaseholders and the Forest Department to use their respective funds for environmental protection and regional development.  

Present at the meeting were UDA Commissioner Rahul Jain, RSPCB Regional Officer Sharad Saxena, District Transport Officer Nitin Bohra, and various other department officials.