Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Illegal sand mining on river beds, 14/03/2016

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Illegal sand mining on river beds, 14/03/2016. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, as amended from time to time, which deals with the process to grant Environmental Clearance. Further, the Ministry has notified the amendments in the EIA Notification, 2006, vide SO No. 141 (E) on 15.01.2016for minor minerals with special focus on sustainable sand mining. The Ministry, vide notification dated 15.01.2016, has delegated the Authority of Environmental Clearance up to 5 hectare of individual mining lease of minor minerals and 25 hectares in clusters to the District Environment Impact Assessment Authority (DEIAA) headed by the District Magistrate/ District Collector. A District Expert Appraisal Committee (DEAC) has also been constituted under the chairmanship of the Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department to assist the DEIAA. The Ministry has also notified the constitution of DEIAA and DEAC, vide Notification SO No. 190 (E) dated 20.01.2016.