JAIPUR: The central empowered committee (CEC), constituted by the Supreme Court, has directed the state government to determine the compensation to be levied from each leaseholder who mined within the Jamua Ramgarh Wildlife Sanctuary (JRWS) in violation of law.
As per state government records, there are 102 such mining leases that have violated law and are located inside the sanctuary as well as within 500 metres from the periphery of the boundary.
Out of the total leases, 45 leases are located fully inside the JRWS, 15 located partly inside the sanctuary and partly within the safety zone declared under the Rajasthan Mineral Policy of 25 metres from the boundary.
Similarly, seven leases are partially within the sanctuary and partly within the safety zone of 100 metres from the boundary of the sanctuary, 33 leases located outside the sanctuary but within 500 metres from the boundary.
Machinery lying inside sanctuary to be seized
"Specific recommendations for compensatory afforestation, reclamation, clearing over burden dumping as also compensation in monetary units for degradation of forest resources shall also be made. Also, a further set of recommendations concerning confiscation of earth moving equipment and other machineries lying within or in the periphery of the said sanctuary shall be made by the CEC," the order says.
Green activists demanded the forest department to immediately act and implement the order. Rajendra Tiwari, an activist, said, "All non-forestry activities in all sanctuaries of the state should be immediately stopped."
Earlier, in its report dated November 20, 2003, the CEC had recommended recovering exemplary compensation equivalent to the present market value of the entire mineral extracted by mine owners inside JRWS in violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 and the Wildlife (Protection) Act on the basis of the recorded production or the estimated figures mentioned in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The money so recovered should be used for protection and development of the Sanctuary.
"The eco-sensitive zone around JRWS was notified on December 5, 2018, except for one block (Digot) which is expected to be notified along with the notification relating to Sariska Tiger Reserve," said an official.
