The Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) is set to bring in a system of star rating for all major mineral mines in the country as a gauge of the eco-friendly measures adopted by them.
Mines with low rating would face the music as they have to either improve the rating through effective environment-friendly measures within a stipulated time, or close down operations, according to Balvinder Kumar, Secretary to Union Ministry of Mines.
Mr. Kumar told The Hindu at the sidelines of a programme organised to roll out the Sustainable Development Framework (SDF) in Donimalai Mines of the National Mineral Development Corporation in Bengaluru on Wednesday that the star-rating system is expected to be in place in two to three months.
The rating process would begin with self-certification under which the miners themselves would fill up the details with the help of a mobile app to be launched for rating purposes. IBM officials will then visit the mining area to crosscheck the data.
As the rating system would throw light on the status of eco-friendly measures taken up by each of the mines, those with low rating — such as one or two stars — would be told to either improve the rating by turning eco-friendly within a stipulated time or close down operations, Mr. Kumar explained. Mr. Kumar appealed to States, including Karnataka, to bring in a similar star-rating system of eco-friendly measures for granite mining too. As granite comes under minor minerals, the responsibility of rating its mining is with States, he said, while expressing concern that some of the granite mines were creating environmental havoc.
Meanwhile, Donimalai Iron Ore Mine in Ballari became the first mine in south India and second in the country to abide by the SDF, for constructing check dams to prevent soil erosion, setting up of effluent treatment plants, and turning the mined area into a green carpet.
Top-ranking officials from the NMDC and IBM, including IBM Controller-General R.K. Sinha took part in the SDF rolling out programme.
