Mining in Peru's northern district of Pataz will remain suspended for 30 days after 13 gold mine workers in the area were kidnapped and killed by illegal miners. Watch in for more details!

Peru's president imposes nighttime curfew in Pataz district

Group of 14 illegal miners who resurfaced from shaft 10 at the Stilfontein disused mine on Sunday night were arrested. According to police, all the men are Mozambique nationals, and a 14-year-old boy is among them. Watch to know more!

14 Illegal Miners Arrested After Resurfacing In South Africa

A group of illegal miners within a closed mine in the North West province of South Africa have been refused access to basic supplies as part of the government's declared campaign against illicit mining, and the government claims it will not assist them.

South Africa Weighs Rescue Mission For Underground Miners

In South Africa, for weeks, hundreds or possibly thousands of illegal miners remain underground in a stil-fontein town in the country’s northwest province after police cut off their food and water supplies in a bid to force them to return to the surface and be arrested. This incident has reignited the debate on how big the illegal mining industry is, in South Africa and its impact on the economy.

South Africa Grapples With Menace of Illegal Mines

Thousands of illegal miners are stuck underground after having food and water supplies cut off in Stilfontein. South Africa's Northwest province community members said that the situation is pretty dire and they are willing to go underground to retrieve the illegal miners. Watch this report for more details!

South Africa: Illegal Miners Stuck Underground Without Food

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday raided locations of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's press advisor Abhishek Prasad as part of a money laundering probe into alleged illegal mining in the state.

India: ED raids close associates of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren

India: Jharkhand CM's press advisor Abhishek Prasad under ED lens

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently deployed over 3000 soldiers on the ground to fight the country’s growing scourge- illegal mining. For years the country has been battling with this problem and the authorities seem confident that they will leave no stone unturned.

Illegal mines of South Africa

Nigeria has shut down a Chinese mining firm over illegal mining of Titanium Ore. The illegal business was exposed after an inspection of the Mining facility. Officials say the black clay-like mineral was discovered in sacked bags of 50 kilograms upon inspection.

Nigeria: Ruitai facility shut over Titanium ore mining

A&nbsp;Venezuelan&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;leader&nbsp;who&nbsp;was an opponent of armed groups and&nbsp;illegal&nbsp;mining&nbsp;was shot dead on Thursday in the Amazonas state capital, a non-governmental organisation and three people with knowledge of the case said.

Virgilio Trujillo Arana, a 38-year-old&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;Uwottuja man, was a defender of the&nbsp;Venezuelan Amazon and had set up community groups to act as guardians of the Autana municipality of Amazonas.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-resumes-oil-exports-to-europe-as-russia-ukraine-war-triggers-high-gas-prices-report-489291">Venezuela resumes oil exports to Europe as Russia-Ukraine war triggers high gas prices: Report</a>

"In life, Trujillo Arana strongly&nbsp;opposed&nbsp;the presence of foreign groups and&nbsp;illegal&nbsp;mining&nbsp;exploitation in the&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;territories of the Uwottuja people, in the Alto Guayapo area", indigenous&nbsp;rights&nbsp;NGO&nbsp;A C Kape Kape wrote Friday on Twitter.

The Uwottuja community is made up of about 15,000 people.

Watch | Iran and Venezuela sign 20-year cooperation plan

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According to a report by Reuters, Kape Kape's director general Armando Obdola said that Trujillo had received threats for his activism, and that his case echoed the murders of environmental and social activists in neighbouring Colombia.

Communities from the town of Uwottuja announced last February their decision to defend their territory against a "silent invasion" by criminal groups, rejecting&nbsp;illegal&nbsp;mining&nbsp;exploitation as well as the use of their land for illicit activities.

"Virgilio was accompanying the Armed Forces as a territorial guard during operations into areas where there are irregular groups", said Obdola,&nbsp;who&nbsp;added that there are other&nbsp;leaders in hiding&nbsp;who&nbsp;fear for their lives.

The Ministry of Communication and Information and the Prosecutor's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-bars-cuba-venezuela-from-americas-summit-mexican-leader-sits-out-485873">US bars Cuba, Venezuela from Americas summit; Mexican leader sits out</a>

Non-governmental organisations and a United Nations report have denounced the presence of violent criminal groups that control gold mines in the jungle.

Mining&nbsp;has been prohibited since 1989 in&nbsp;Venezuela's southern Amazonas state, which is not part of the so-called Arco Minero, a gold exploitation zone 111,000 square km created by decree in 2016 by the government of President Nicolas Maduro covering.&nbsp;

The Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has asked the government to regularise&nbsp;mining&nbsp;activities and guarantee that they are carried out under international and environmental standards.

The Universidad de Los Andes Working Group on&nbsp;Indigenous&nbsp;Affairs called for an investigation into Trujillo's killing, and said&nbsp;indigenous&nbsp;organisations have so far not received responses from the Inter-America Commission on Human Rights regarding protection measures for other environmental defenders.

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A Venezuelan indigenous leader who was an opponent of armed groups and illegal mining was shot dead on Thursday in the Amazonas state capital, a non-governmental organisation and three people with knowledge of the case said.

A Venezuelan indigenous leader who was an opponent of armed groups and illegal mining was shot dead on Thursday in the Amazonas state capital, a non-governmental organisation and three people with knowledge of the case said. Virgilio Trujillo Arana, a 38-year-old indigenous Uwottuja man, was a defender of the Venezuelan Amazon and had set up community groups to act as guardians of the Autana municipality of Amazonas. Also read | Venezuela resumes oil exports to Europe as Russia-Ukraine war triggers high gas prices: Report "In life, Trujillo Arana strongly opposed the presence of foreign groups and illegal mining exploitation in the indigenous territories of the Uwottuja people, in the Alto Guayapo area", indigenous rights NGO A C Kape Kape wrote Friday on Twitter. The Uwottuja community is made up of about 15,000 people. Watch | Iran and Venezuela sign 20-year cooperation plan According to a report by Reuters, Kape Kape's director general Armando Obdola said that Trujillo had received threats for his activism, and that his case echoed the murders of environmental and social activists in neighbouring Colombia. Communities from the town of Uwottuja announced last February their decision to defend their territory against a "silent invasion" by criminal groups, rejecting illegal mining exploitation as well as the use of their land for illicit activities. "Virgilio was accompanying the Armed Forces as a territorial guard during operations into areas where there are irregular groups", said Obdola, who added that there are other leaders in hiding who fear for their lives. The Ministry of Communication and Information and the Prosecutor's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Also read | US bars Cuba, Venezuela from Americas summit; Mexican leader sits out Non-governmental organisations and a United Nations report have denounced the presence of violent criminal groups that control gold mines in the jungle. Mining has been prohibited since 1989 in Venezuela's southern Amazonas state, which is not part of the so-called Arco Minero, a gold exploitation zone 111,000 square km created by decree in 2016 by the government of President Nicolas Maduro covering. The Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has asked the government to regularise mining activities and guarantee that they are carried out under international and environmental standards. The Universidad de Los Andes Working Group on Indigenous Affairs called for an investigation into Trujillo's killing, and said indigenous organisations have so far not received responses from the Inter-America Commission on Human Rights regarding protection measures for other environmental defenders. Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Indigenous leader who opposed illegal mining killed in Venezuela: NGO

The illegal gold mining business is booming in Brazil, with miners pinning their hopes on a bill. More than 5000 illegal gold mines are operating in the Amazon forest which results in polluting the Amazon River.

Illegal gold mining thrives in Amazon, miners attack indigenous people

Illegal mining, a leading cause of environmental destruction in the Amazon rainforest, expanded 30 percent last year on protected Yanomami indigenous lands, devastating the equivalent of 500 football pitches, a report found Thursday.

The increase brought the total amount of land deforested by illegal miners on the Yanomami's reserve in northern Brazil to 2,400 hectares (nearly 6,000 acres), an area more than seven times the size of New York's Central Park, said the report by two indigenous associations.

Illegal gold and diamond mining are big business in the Amazon, and according to the report only accelerated on Yanomami lands in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic led environmental authorities to scale back enforcement operations.

"The water is dirty, the river is yellow, everything is riddled with holes. Illegal miners are like pigs," said Yanomami shaman Davi Kopenawa, the head of one of the groups behind the report, the Hutukara Yanomami Association (HAY).

"They come in like hungry animals, looking for the riches of our land. It's expanding very fast. It's arriving right in the heart of Yanomami territory," he said in a statement.

Kopenawa said his community feared a conflict with the miners, who are often armed.

Last June, illegal miners shot dead two young Yanomami men, leading HAY to warn that tensions could escalate into a "cycle of violence."

Last month, miners attacked the indigenous village of Helepe, leading to clashes that left one indigenous man wounded and one miner dead, the group said.

The Yanomami, who are known for their face paint and intricate piercings, were largely isolated from the outside world until the mid-20th century.

They have a history of conflict with illegal miners dating back to the 1970s.

Together with diseases such as measles and malaria, the conflicts decimated the Yanomami population, which numbers around 27,000 today.

Indigenous authorities have also warned there is a danger of illegal miners with Covid-19 infecting members of the Yanomami.&nbsp;

Illegal mining, a leading cause of environmental destruction in the Amazon rainforest, expanded 30 percent last year on protected Yanomami indigenous lands, devastating the equivalent of 500 football pitches, a report found Thursday.

Illegal mining, a leading cause of environmental destruction in the Amazon rainforest, expanded 30 percent last year on protected Yanomami indigenous lands, devastating the equivalent of 500 football pitches, a report found Thursday. The increase brought the total amount of land deforested by illegal miners on the Yanomami's reserve in northern Brazil to 2,400 hectares (nearly 6,000 acres), an area more than seven times the size of New York's Central Park, said the report by two indigenous associations. Illegal gold and diamond mining are big business in the Amazon, and according to the report only accelerated on Yanomami lands in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic led environmental authorities to scale back enforcement operations. "The water is dirty, the river is yellow, everything is riddled with holes. Illegal miners are like pigs," said Yanomami shaman Davi Kopenawa, the head of one of the groups behind the report, the Hutukara Yanomami Association (HAY). "They come in like hungry animals, looking for the riches of our land. It's expanding very fast. It's arriving right in the heart of Yanomami territory," he said in a statement. Kopenawa said his community feared a conflict with the miners, who are often armed. Last June, illegal miners shot dead two young Yanomami men, leading HAY to warn that tensions could escalate into a "cycle of violence." Last month, miners attacked the indigenous village of Helepe, leading to clashes that left one indigenous man wounded and one miner dead, the group said. The Yanomami, who are known for their face paint and intricate piercings, were largely isolated from the outside world until the mid-20th century. They have a history of conflict with illegal miners dating back to the 1970s. Together with diseases such as measles and malaria, the conflicts decimated the Yanomami population, which numbers around 27,000 today. Indigenous authorities have also warned there is a danger of illegal miners with Covid-19 infecting members of the Yanomami.

Illegal mining surges on Yanomami indigenous land, report says

COVID-19, illegal mining, deforestation: Brazil's indigenous protest against Bolsonaro government

Days after three people allegedly died at an illegal coal mine in Asansol, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday staged a protest demanding that the administration should close mining operations to avoid any such incident in the future.

"Three people died during illegal coal mining, the administration took out their bodies after four days. Poor people go to work in illegal mining. If they will not stop illegal mining, we will demonstrate further," BJP leader Subrat Mishra told ANI.

On October 13, four people allegedly tried to dig the mine illegally, during which the three got trapped inside it. Later, their bodies were recovered by NDRF.

The coal mine reportedly consisted of poisonous methane gas inside and trapped persons lost consciousness due to its effect.

Days after three people allegedly died at an illegal coal mine in Asansol, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday staged a protest demanding that the administration should close mining operations to avoid any such incident in the future.

Days after three people allegedly died at an illegal coal mine in Asansol, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday staged a protest demanding that the administration should close mining operations to avoid any such incident in the future. "Three people died during illegal coal mining, the administration took out their bodies after four days. Poor people go to work in illegal mining. If they will not stop illegal mining, we will demonstrate further," BJP leader Subrat Mishra told ANI. On October 13, four people allegedly tried to dig the mine illegally, during which the three got trapped inside it. Later, their bodies were recovered by NDRF. The coal mine reportedly consisted of poisonous methane gas inside and trapped persons lost consciousness due to its effect.

West Bengal: BJP stages protest against illegal mining in Asansol

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre, CBI and five states on a petition seeking investigation into alleged illegal sand mining. A bench headed by Justice SA Bobde sought a response from the Ministry of Environment and Fores (MoEF), Ministry of Mines, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra in this regard.&nbsp;

During the course of the proceedings, advocates Prashant Bhushan and Pranav Sachdeva, appearing for petitioner M Alagarsamy, argued that illegal sand mining is going on across the country.&nbsp;

"It is a rampant problem across the country which needs to be tackled immediately," Bhushan contended. Quoting a media article, Bhushan submitted that a special investigation team, headed by a senior IAS officer, has revealed illegal mining of 1 crore metric tonnes of beach sand from Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari districts in Tamil Nadu.&nbsp;

Alagarsamy sought a direction to the investigating agency to register and investigate the "scams" highlighted by him.&nbsp;

The petition said that a direction should be issued to the Centre not to grant environment clearance for sand mining projects without taking into account the cumulative impact of the sand mining in the entire area.&nbsp;

It pleaded for prosecution and termination of the leases of those entities that were found to have committed illegal sand mining. The plea sought denial of environment clearance to any sand mining project without procuring a proper environmental impact assessment (EIA), environmental management plan (EMP) and public consultation, and appraisal as per the EIA Notification, 2006.&nbsp;

The petition submitted that the court should direct the Centre and states to cease all river and beach sand mining activities owing to the non-implementation of the Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines, 2016 and office memorandum dated December 24, 3013. A direction was also sought by the petitioner to the MoEF to constitute a committee for monitoring all such activities along with investigation and registration of cases against illegal mining by the CBI.&nbsp;

The Centre and states should ensure the existence of an approved mining plan under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, for all sand mining projects, the petition added.&nbsp;

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre, CBI and five states on a petition seeking investigation into alleged illegal sand mining. A bench headed by Justice SA Bobde sought a response from the Ministry of Environment and Fores (MoEF), Ministry of Mines, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra in this regard.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre, CBI and five states on a petition seeking investigation into alleged illegal sand mining. A bench headed by Justice SA Bobde sought a response from the Ministry of Environment and Fores (MoEF), Ministry of Mines, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra in this regard. During the course of the proceedings, advocates Prashant Bhushan and Pranav Sachdeva, appearing for petitioner M Alagarsamy, argued that illegal sand mining is going on across the country. "It is a rampant problem across the country which needs to be tackled immediately," Bhushan contended. Quoting a media article, Bhushan submitted that a special investigation team, headed by a senior IAS officer, has revealed illegal mining of 1 crore metric tonnes of beach sand from Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari districts in Tamil Nadu. Alagarsamy sought a direction to the investigating agency to register and investigate the "scams" highlighted by him. The petition said that a direction should be issued to the Centre not to grant environment clearance for sand mining projects without taking into account the cumulative impact of the sand mining in the entire area. It pleaded for prosecution and termination of the leases of those entities that were found to have committed illegal sand mining. The plea sought denial of environment clearance to any sand mining project without procuring a proper environmental impact assessment (EIA), environmental management plan (EMP) and public consultation, and appraisal as per the EIA Notification, 2006. The petition submitted that the court should direct the Centre and states to cease all river and beach sand mining activities owing to the non-implementation of the Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines, 2016 and office memorandum dated December 24, 3013. A direction was also sought by the petitioner to the MoEF to constitute a committee for monitoring all such activities along with investigation and registration of cases against illegal mining by the CBI. The Centre and states should ensure the existence of an approved mining plan under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, for all sand mining projects, the petition added.

llegal sand mining: Supreme Court seeks response from Centre, CBI and 5 states

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered two separate FIRs related to an alleged case of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/illegal-mining-central-bureau-of-investigation-raids-at-bulandshahr-district-magistrates-residence-234595">illegal sand mining in Uttar Pradesh</a>.

One FIR has been registered against Abhay, the former District Magistrate of Fatehpur (Uttar Pradesh), and former mining minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, among others.

Another FIR has been registered against Vivek, former District Magistrate, Deoria (Uttar Pradesh) and eight others including the former Additional District Magistrate, Deoria (UP) and three public servants.

The CBI had on Wednesday conducted raids at multiple locations across the state in connection with the cases, according to sources.

Raids were conducted at 12 locations, including Bulandshahr, Lucknow, Fatehpur, Azamgarh, Allahabad, Noida, Gorakhpur and Deoria.

The agency recovered cash worth Rs 47 lakh from the residence of Bulandshahr District Magistrate Abhay Kumar Singh, Rs 10 lakh from Chief Development Officer Devi Sharan Upadhyay's residence and some documents related to properties from the premises of Director of Training and Employment, Vivek.

Even though there was no official comment on the raid, CBI sources said a huge amount of cash was recovered by the agency from Abhay's residence.

The search went on for over two hours, sources said, adding that a machine to count notes was taken inside Abhay's house by the CBI officials.

In the illegal mining scam, CBI had filed an FIR earlier this year, in which names of several bureaucrats and politicians had come up.

According to sources, when the purported scam took place, Abhay was the District Magistrate at Fatehpur district and Upadhyay and Vivek were the Additional District Magistrate and District Magistrate of Deoria city in Uttar Pradesh, respectively.&nbsp;

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered two separate FIRs related to an alleged case of illegal sand mining in Uttar Pradesh. One FIR has been registered against Abhay, the former District Magistrate of Fatehpur (Uttar Pradesh), and former mining minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, among others.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered two separate FIRs related to an alleged case of illegal sand mining in Uttar Pradesh. One FIR has been registered against Abhay, the former District Magistrate of Fatehpur (Uttar Pradesh), and former mining minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, among others. Another FIR has been registered against Vivek, former District Magistrate, Deoria (Uttar Pradesh) and eight others including the former Additional District Magistrate, Deoria (UP) and three public servants. The CBI had on Wednesday conducted raids at multiple locations across the state in connection with the cases, according to sources. Raids were conducted at 12 locations, including Bulandshahr, Lucknow, Fatehpur, Azamgarh, Allahabad, Noida, Gorakhpur and Deoria. The agency recovered cash worth Rs 47 lakh from the residence of Bulandshahr District Magistrate Abhay Kumar Singh, Rs 10 lakh from Chief Development Officer Devi Sharan Upadhyay's residence and some documents related to properties from the premises of Director of Training and Employment, Vivek. Even though there was no official comment on the raid, CBI sources said a huge amount of cash was recovered by the agency from Abhay's residence. The search went on for over two hours, sources said, adding that a machine to count notes was taken inside Abhay's house by the CBI officials. In the illegal mining scam, CBI had filed an FIR earlier this year, in which names of several bureaucrats and politicians had come up. According to sources, when the purported scam took place, Abhay was the District Magistrate at Fatehpur district and Upadhyay and Vivek were the Additional District Magistrate and District Magistrate of Deoria city in Uttar Pradesh, respectively.

Central Bureau of Investigation registers two separate FIRs in illegal sand mining case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday conducted raids at the residence of Bulandshahr District Magistrate in connection to an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/illegal-sand-mining-case-akhilesh-yadav-says-ready-to-face-cbi-188581">investigation in an illegal mining case</a>.

As per reports, a large sum of cash and a note counting machine have been recovered from Abhay Kumar Singh's residence.

The CBI seems to have tightened its grip on Singh in connection to his alleged involvement in an illegal mining case during his tenure as the District Magistrate in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh during <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/setback-for-akhilesh-yadav-cbi-to-examine-ex-uttar-pradesh-cm-in-illegal-sand-mining-case-188429">Akhilesh Yadav</a>'s term as Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister.&nbsp;

Earlier this year, the CBI carried out searches at 12 places in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi in an ongoing investigation of a case relating to alleged illegal mining of minerals in Hamirpur.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cbi-officer-probing-akhileshs-role-in-sand-mining-scam-transferred-190455">Akhilesh Yadav's role in&nbsp;the scam</a> is also being probed by the CBI.

CBI registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the then District Magistrate of Hamirpur, then Geologist/Mining Officer, the then mining clerk and eight others including leaseholders, private persons and other unknown public servants and unknown persons, news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;

It was alleged that public servants in criminal conspiracy with other accused allowed illegal mining of minor minerals in the district during 2012-2016, Yadav&nbsp;was Uttar Pradesh's CM from 2012 to 2017.&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday conducted raids at the residence of Bulandshahr District Magistrate in connection to an investigation in an illegal mining case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday conducted raids at the residence of Bulandshahr District Magistrate in connection to an investigation in an illegal mining case. As per reports, a large sum of cash and a note counting machine have been recovered from Abhay Kumar Singh's residence. The CBI seems to have tightened its grip on Singh in connection to his alleged involvement in an illegal mining case during his tenure as the District Magistrate in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh during Akhilesh Yadav's term as Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister. Earlier this year, the CBI carried out searches at 12 places in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi in an ongoing investigation of a case relating to alleged illegal mining of minerals in Hamirpur. Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's role in the scam is also being probed by the CBI. CBI registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against the then District Magistrate of Hamirpur, then Geologist/Mining Officer, the then mining clerk and eight others including leaseholders, private persons and other unknown public servants and unknown persons, news agency ANI reported. It was alleged that public servants in criminal conspiracy with other accused allowed illegal mining of minor minerals in the district during 2012-2016, Yadav was Uttar Pradesh's CM from 2012 to 2017. (With inputs from ANI)

Illegal mining: Central Bureau of Investigation raids Bulandshahr District Magistrate's residence

A Navy rescue team on Thursday pulled out a miner's body&nbsp;from a 370-feet deep&nbsp;flooded coal mine in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/meghalaya-miners-rescue-navy-divers-return-without-any-trace-of-trapped-miners-187408">Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills</a> district where 14 miners still remain trapped since December 13.

Rescuers have recovered a body from the site of a "rat-hole" mining accident.

The miners were trapped on December 13 when their illegal mine was flooded. The state banned unregulated mining in 2014 but it still goes on in some places.

"We have recovered the body and it is heavily decomposed," said Santosh Kumar Singh, an official from the National Disaster Response Force.

Thousands of workers, including children, have been killed in so-called rat-hole mines, which involve miners crawling into narrow shafts on bamboo ladders to dig for low-quality coal, in Meghalaya.

Rescue officials located the body last week, but it took time to bring it to the surface from inside a crevice. The officials sought guidance from forensic experts.

Families and relatives of the trapped miners have given up hope that any of them will be found alive.

(With inputs from Reuters)

A Navy rescue team on Thursday pulled out a miner's body from a 370-feet deep flooded coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district where 14 miners still remain trapped since December 13.

A Navy rescue team on Thursday pulled out a miner's body from a 370-feet deep flooded coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district where 14 miners still remain trapped since December 13. Rescuers have recovered a body from the site of a "rat-hole" mining accident. The miners were trapped on December 13 when their illegal mine was flooded. The state banned unregulated mining in 2014 but it still goes on in some places. "We have recovered the body and it is heavily decomposed," said Santosh Kumar Singh, an official from the National Disaster Response Force. Thousands of workers, including children, have been killed in so-called rat-hole mines, which involve miners crawling into narrow shafts on bamboo ladders to dig for low-quality coal, in Meghalaya. Rescue officials located the body last week, but it took time to bring it to the surface from inside a crevice. The officials sought guidance from forensic experts. Families and relatives of the trapped miners have given up hope that any of them will be found alive. (With inputs from Reuters)

Meghalaya miner’s body pulled out after 42 days, 15 workers were trapped

A month after 15 miners were trapped in a coal mine, search operations for which is still underway, a three-member committee of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Meghalaya Police to investigate into nearly 1200 cases of illegal quarrying across the state.

The green tribunal had imposed a blanket ban on coal mining and transportation in Meghalaya in 2014, citing unscientific methods and absence of safety measures.

The three-member NGT committee, constituted in August last year, is currently studying the environmental aspects of rat-hole mining in the state.

An official said the police have been told that their probe should reach a logical conclusion after taking into account all 1200 cases of illegal rat-hole mining in East Garo Hills, South-West Khasi Hills and West and East Jaintia Hills districts.

Rat-hole mining involves digging of narrow tunnels, usually 3-4 feet high, for workers to enter and extract coal. The horizontal tunnels are often termed "rat-holes", as each just about fits one person.

On December 13, water from nearby Lytein river flooded a network of tunnels in a coal mine in Lumthari village of East Jaintia Hills, trapping 15 men and prompting a rescue attempt that has failed to yield any result so far.

That mining goes on unabated in the state can be gauged from the fact that heaps of freshly dug coal is dumped on both sides of the road that approaches Lumthari from Khliehriat, the district headquarters of East Jaintia Hills.

Meanwhile, official sources said the NGT committee, which has sought police investigation into the registered cases of illegal mining, is set to visit the state by January-end.

The committee, headed by retired judge Justice (Retd) B P Katakey, will conduct a field visit to South Garo Hills on January 30-31 to study the ground-level situation, they said.

Katakey told PTI that 98 cases of illegal quarrying have been registered in East Jaintia Hills district alone since the ban.

The committee, after a thorough study, will prepare a report and present it before the tribunal by March 31, he said.

"We have directed investigation into nearly 1200 cases of illegal mining and transportation of coal since the 2014 ban. In East Jaintia Hills, the SP has been asked to submit a report at the earliest in connection with the 98 cases recorded in the district," Katakey added.

An official in the state mining and geology department said Meghalaya does not maintain statistics on mining and mishaps.

"As there is no study or statistics on the prevalence of mining in the state, the three-member NGT panel has asked district deputy commissioners to furnish all available data in connection with the illegal practices," he added.

A month after 15 miners were trapped in a coal mine, search operations for which is still underway, a three-member committee of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Meghalaya Police to investigate into nearly 1200 cases of illegal quarrying across the state.

A month after 15 miners were trapped in a coal mine, search operations for which is still underway, a three-member committee of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the Meghalaya Police to investigate into nearly 1200 cases of illegal quarrying across the state. The green tribunal had imposed a blanket ban on coal mining and transportation in Meghalaya in 2014, citing unscientific methods and absence of safety measures. The three-member NGT committee, constituted in August last year, is currently studying the environmental aspects of rat-hole mining in the state. An official said the police have been told that their probe should reach a logical conclusion after taking into account all 1200 cases of illegal rat-hole mining in East Garo Hills, South-West Khasi Hills and West and East Jaintia Hills districts. Rat-hole mining involves digging of narrow tunnels, usually 3-4 feet high, for workers to enter and extract coal. The horizontal tunnels are often termed "rat-holes", as each just about fits one person. On December 13, water from nearby Lytein river flooded a network of tunnels in a coal mine in Lumthari village of East Jaintia Hills, trapping 15 men and prompting a rescue attempt that has failed to yield any result so far. That mining goes on unabated in the state can be gauged from the fact that heaps of freshly dug coal is dumped on both sides of the road that approaches Lumthari from Khliehriat, the district headquarters of East Jaintia Hills. Meanwhile, official sources said the NGT committee, which has sought police investigation into the registered cases of illegal mining, is set to visit the state by January-end. The committee, headed by retired judge Justice (Retd) B P Katakey, will conduct a field visit to South Garo Hills on January 30-31 to study the ground-level situation, they said. Katakey told PTI that 98 cases of illegal quarrying have been registered in East Jaintia Hills district alone since the ban. The committee, after a thorough study, will prepare a report and present it before the tribunal by March 31, he said. "We have directed investigation into nearly 1200 cases of illegal mining and transportation of coal since the 2014 ban. In East Jaintia Hills, the SP has been asked to submit a report at the earliest in connection with the 98 cases recorded in the district," Katakey added. An official in the state mining and geology department said Meghalaya does not maintain statistics on mining and mishaps. "As there is no study or statistics on the prevalence of mining in the state, the three-member NGT panel has asked district deputy commissioners to furnish all available data in connection with the illegal practices," he added.

Month after mishap, NGT asks Meghalaya police to crack whip on illegal mining

The National Green Tribunal Friday imposed a fine of whopping Rs 100 crore on the Meghalaya government for its <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/meghalaya-miners-rescue-supreme-court-asks-centre-meghalaya-govt-to-file-status-report-188208">failure to curb illegal coal mining</a> in the state.&nbsp;

A senior advocate, who is assisting the tribunal as an amicus curiae in the matter, said a report of a high-level committee was submitted on January 2 before a bench headed by NGT chairperson A K Goel.&nbsp;

The report stated that majority of the mines in the northeastern state were operating without a lease or licence.

The Tribunal imposed Rs 100 crore fine on the state government as a "deterrent" and for its "inaction" to curb illegal mining in the northeastern state.&nbsp; 
The lawyer said during the hearing, the state government admitted that a large number of mines were operating illegally.

At least 15 miners are trapped in the 370 foot-deep illegal coal mine in Lumthari village of East Jaintia Hills district of<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/meghalaya-mining-tragedy-no-change-in-water-level-even-after-using-high-pressure-pumps-187811"> Meghalaya </a>since December 13 and all efforts to pump the water out of flooded mine have been in vain.

Senior advocate Raj Panjawani said the amount of the fine has to be deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board within two months.

He said the bench in its order made it clear that the amount can be recovered from illegal miners and the officials responsible for operating mines illegally.

The report of the three-member committee, headed by retired Justice B P Kakoti of Gauhati High Court, has stated that there were around 24,000 mines in Meghalaya and majority of them were operating illegally.

It added that not only were there no licences or leases, but also no environmental clearance for operation of the majority of the coal mines.

The NGT had constituted the committee in August 2018 to supervise and look into the issue of the environmental restoration plan and other connected matters in Meghalaya.

The committee was constituted during the hearing of the petition which had sought a ban on coal mining in Meghalaya. It had also taken into account some reports of the state pollution control board.

Meghalaya's advocate general Amit Kumar said he had been conveyed about the order of the NGT imposing Rs 100 crore on the state. He said the detailed order would be made available in a couple of days.&nbsp;

The National Green Tribunal had ordered an interim ban on 'rat-hole' coal mining in Meghalaya from April 17, 2014.

The latest order comes when the authorities are finding it difficult to rescue the 15 miners trapped since December 13 in an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya as there is no blueprint of the 355-feet well which has a "maze of rat holes".&nbsp;

The National Green Tribunal Friday imposed a fine of whopping Rs 100 crore on the Meghalaya government for its failure to curb illegal coal mining in the state. A senior advocate, who is assisting the tribunal as an amicus curiae in the matter, said a report of a high-level committee was submitted on January 2 before a bench headed by NGT chairperson A K Goel.

The National Green Tribunal Friday imposed a fine of whopping Rs 100 crore on the Meghalaya government for its failure to curb illegal coal mining in the state. A senior advocate, who is assisting the tribunal as an amicus curiae in the matter, said a report of a high-level committee was submitted on January 2 before a bench headed by NGT chairperson A K Goel. The report stated that majority of the mines in the northeastern state were operating without a lease or licence. The Tribunal imposed Rs 100 crore fine on the state government as a "deterrent" and for its "inaction" to curb illegal mining in the northeastern state. The lawyer said during the hearing, the state government admitted that a large number of mines were operating illegally. At least 15 miners are trapped in the 370 foot-deep illegal coal mine in Lumthari village of East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya since December 13 and all efforts to pump the water out of flooded mine have been in vain. Senior advocate Raj Panjawani said the amount of the fine has to be deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board within two months. He said the bench in its order made it clear that the amount can be recovered from illegal miners and the officials responsible for operating mines illegally. The report of the three-member committee, headed by retired Justice B P Kakoti of Gauhati High Court, has stated that there were around 24,000 mines in Meghalaya and majority of them were operating illegally. It added that not only were there no licences or leases, but also no environmental clearance for operation of the majority of the coal mines. The NGT had constituted the committee in August 2018 to supervise and look into the issue of the environmental restoration plan and other connected matters in Meghalaya. The committee was constituted during the hearing of the petition which had sought a ban on coal mining in Meghalaya. It had also taken into account some reports of the state pollution control board. Meghalaya's advocate general Amit Kumar said he had been conveyed about the order of the NGT imposing Rs 100 crore on the state. He said the detailed order would be made available in a couple of days. The National Green Tribunal had ordered an interim ban on 'rat-hole' coal mining in Meghalaya from April 17, 2014. The latest order comes when the authorities are finding it difficult to rescue the 15 miners trapped since December 13 in an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya as there is no blueprint of the 355-feet well which has a "maze of rat holes".

NGT imposes Rs 100 crore fine on Meghalaya govt for failing to curb illegal mining

The Supreme Court Tuesday directed the Rajasthan government to stop illegal mining in a 115.34-hectare area in Aravalli hills within 48 hours.

A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said it was compelled to pass this order because Rajasthan has taken the issue “very lightly”.

The apex court also referred to a central empowered committee report that 31 hills or hillocks have vanished in the state’s Aravalli area.

The court was hearing a matter related to illegal mining activities in Aravalli hills.

The Supreme Court Tuesday directed the Rajasthan government to stop illegal mining in a 115.34-hectare area in Aravalli hills within 48 hours. A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said it was compelled to pass this order because Rajasthan has taken the issue “very lightly”.

The Supreme Court Tuesday directed the Rajasthan government to stop illegal mining in a 115.34-hectare area in Aravalli hills within 48 hours. A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said it was compelled to pass this order because Rajasthan has taken the issue “very lightly”. The apex court also referred to a central empowered committee report that 31 hills or hillocks have vanished in the state’s Aravalli area. The court was hearing a matter related to illegal mining activities in Aravalli hills.

SC directs Rajasthan government to stop illegal mining in Aravalli hills within 48 hours

Opposition Congress today created an uproar in the Rajasthan Assembly and boycotted the Question Hour following the suspension of a question related to illegal gravel mining.

The question about action against illegal gravel mining, asked by ruling party MLA Prahlad Gunjan, was part of a list of questions.

When it was the time to take up the question, Speaker Kailash Meghwal said that it had been suspended and would be answered later.

The Congress members then created an uproar, saying the government did not want to answer an important question and also boycotted the Question Hour.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore said the government was willing to answer. He requested the speaker to include the question on the day when questions for the mines department would be taken up.

The speaker said that it was suspended on technical grounds and would be answered later.&nbsp;

The question about action against illegal gravel mining, asked by ruling party MLA Prahlad Gunjan, was part of a list of questions

Opposition Congress today created an uproar in the Rajasthan Assembly and boycotted the Question Hour following the suspension of a question related to illegal gravel mining. The question about action against illegal gravel mining, asked by ruling party MLA Prahlad Gunjan, was part of a list of questions. When it was the time to take up the question, Speaker Kailash Meghwal said that it had been suspended and would be answered later. The Congress members then created an uproar, saying the government did not want to answer an important question and also boycotted the Question Hour. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore said the government was willing to answer. He requested the speaker to include the question on the day when questions for the mines department would be taken up. The speaker said that it was suspended on technical grounds and would be answered later.

Uproar in the Rajasthan Assembly after question over illegal mining suspended

A 30-year-old man tried to jump in front of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath&#39;s convoy in Lucknow to draw his attention to illegal mining allegedly being patronised by BJP leaders.

&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Man jumped in front of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath&#39;s convoy in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lucknow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lucknow</a>, immediately removed by police. He was reportedly upset over no legal action against two BJP leaders, whom he had accused of illegal mining <a href="https://t.co/bZFH0nReS9">pic.twitter.com/bZFH0nReS9</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/947131781576192000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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As Adityanath was headed to Lok Bhawan for an event, the man who was hiding behind the waiting media at the gate, jumped in front of the Chief Minister`s car.

He was immediately removed by police and handed over to police.&nbsp;

He was reportedly upset over no legal action against two BJP leaders, whom he had accused of illegal mining

The cars of Governor Ram Naik, Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma and visiting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were right behind Adityanath`s vehicle when the incident happened.&nbsp;

The man has been identified as Shyamji Mishra of Sonebhadra district, police said.&nbsp;

Mishra said he wanted to tell Adityanath about the &quot;illegal mining&quot; being done in Sonebhadra &quot;under the patronage of BJP`s Sardar legislator and BJP`s district president&quot;.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Security personnel caught hold of him and handed him over to the police.

A 30-year-old man tried to jump in front of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's convoy in Lucknow to draw his attention to illegal mining allegedly being patronised by BJP leaders. #WATCH Man jumped in front of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's convoy in #Lucknow, immediately removed by police. He was reportedly upset over no legal action against two BJP leaders, whom he had accused of illegal mining pic.twitter.com/bZFH0nReS9 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 30, 2017 × As Adityanath was headed to Lok Bhawan for an event, the man who was hiding behind the waiting media at the gate, jumped in front of the Chief Minister`s car. He was immediately removed by police and handed over to police. He was reportedly upset over no legal action against two BJP leaders, whom he had accused of illegal mining The cars of Governor Ram Naik, Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma and visiting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were right behind Adityanath`s vehicle when the incident happened. The man has been identified as Shyamji Mishra of Sonebhadra district, police said. Mishra said he wanted to tell Adityanath about the "illegal mining" being done in Sonebhadra "under the patronage of BJP`s Sardar legislator and BJP`s district president".

Watch: Man leaps in front of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's convoy in Lucknow

Authorities in Jharkhand will crack down on the &quot;mica mafia&quot; by starting to legalise some mica mines, a senior government official said, after a Thomson Reuters Foundation investigation revealed the cover-up of child deaths in illegal mining. 
 
A three-month investigation in the mica-producing state of Jharkhand found that a flourishing black market had resulted in at least seven children being killed since June, mining for the prized mineral which adds the sparkle to make-up and car paint. But the deaths went unreported as victims&#39; families and mine operators feared it could end the illegal mining of mica, the only source of income in some of India&#39;s poorest regions. 
 
Jharkhand&#39;s secretary for mines Sunil Kumar Barnwal said he was aware of child labour being used but was taken aback by the number of children dying in the illegal mines estimated to produce 70 per cent of India&#39;s annual mica output. He vowed to legalise some mines from early 2017 and take a zero-tolerance approach to local mica mafias - a nexus of businessmen, traders, politicians, police and forest guards - who have profited in the illegal trade by exploiting the poor. 
 
&quot;Anyone, whoever they may be, if they are involved in any kind of illegal activity, they will not be spared - irrespective of any party membership or any government officer,&quot; Barnwal said in an interview yesterday. 
 
&quot;If you legalise the sector, all the illegal interest groups will suffer. The government will take all required steps to make the lives of people there better there.&quot; 
 
India is one of the world&#39;s largest producers of mica, a silver-coloured, crystalline mineral, that has gained prominence in recent years as an environmentally-friendly material, used in the car and building sectors, electronics and &quot;natural&quot; make-up. 
 
Once boasting over 700 mines, the industry was hit by 1980 legislation to limit deforestation and the invention of synthetic mica, forcing most mines to close. 
 
All above board 
 
But renewed interest in mica has sent illegal operators scurrying to access hundreds of closed, crumbling mines, many in the forests of Jharkhand&#39;s Koderma and Giridih districts. 
 
Indian law forbids children below the age of 18 working in mines and other hazardous industries but many families living in extreme poverty rely on children to boost household income. 
 
Barnwal said a raft of measures were needed to address the problem and plans are underway to regulate the state&#39;s mica mining sector, saying this would generate revenue, bring development and jobs to these areas, and help curb child labour. He said the rules for mining mica changed in February when the central government downgraded mica to a minor from a major mineral, giving state authorities the power to grant leases. 
 
Jharkhand is planning to conduct a geological survey to determine the amount of mica reserves, demarcate blocks and start auctioning mining leases within the next six months. 
 
&quot;The whole emphasis on the government and my department will be to grant legal leases and there will be clear ownership and thereafter I don&#39;t think these problems will continue,&quot; Barnwal said by phone from Ranchi, Jharkhand&#39;s capital. He added that the government was also setting up skill development centres across the state to give people alternative job options such as mechanics or livestock breeding. 
 
&quot;There is a whole solution to all these things. This is to bring this mica mining within our legal framework,&quot; said Barnwal, who is also secretary to Jharkhand&#39;s chief minister Raghubar Das. 
 
Barwal acknowledged many mica mines are located in protected forests or wildlife sanctuaries and it would be hard to get leases for these areas overseen by the environment ministry. 
 
But he said communities mining in such areas could get work in the newly auctioned mica mines outside the forests, and the state revenue generated bring development and alternative jobs. 
 
(Reuters)

A three-month investigation had found that a flourishing black market had resulted in at least seven children being killed since June

Authorities in Jharkhand will crack down on the "mica mafia" by starting to legalise some mica mines, a senior government official said, after a Thomson Reuters Foundation investigation revealed the cover-up of child deaths in illegal mining. A three-month investigation in the mica-producing state of Jharkhand found that a flourishing black market had resulted in at least seven children being killed since June, mining for the prized mineral which adds the sparkle to make-up and car paint. But the deaths went unreported as victims' families and mine operators feared it could end the illegal mining of mica, the only source of income in some of India's poorest regions. Jharkhand's secretary for mines Sunil Kumar Barnwal said he was aware of child labour being used but was taken aback by the number of children dying in the illegal mines estimated to produce 70 per cent of India's annual mica output. He vowed to legalise some mines from early 2017 and take a zero-tolerance approach to local mica mafias - a nexus of businessmen, traders, politicians, police and forest guards - who have profited in the illegal trade by exploiting the poor. "Anyone, whoever they may be, if they are involved in any kind of illegal activity, they will not be spared - irrespective of any party membership or any government officer," Barnwal said in an interview yesterday. "If you legalise the sector, all the illegal interest groups will suffer. The government will take all required steps to make the lives of people there better there." India is one of the world's largest producers of mica, a silver-coloured, crystalline mineral, that has gained prominence in recent years as an environmentally-friendly material, used in the car and building sectors, electronics and "natural" make-up. Once boasting over 700 mines, the industry was hit by 1980 legislation to limit deforestation and the invention of synthetic mica, forcing most mines to close. All above board But renewed interest in mica has sent illegal operators scurrying to access hundreds of closed, crumbling mines, many in the forests of Jharkhand's Koderma and Giridih districts. Indian law forbids children below the age of 18 working in mines and other hazardous industries but many families living in extreme poverty rely on children to boost household income. Barnwal said a raft of measures were needed to address the problem and plans are underway to regulate the state's mica mining sector, saying this would generate revenue, bring development and jobs to these areas, and help curb child labour. He said the rules for mining mica changed in February when the central government downgraded mica to a minor from a major mineral, giving state authorities the power to grant leases. Jharkhand is planning to conduct a geological survey to determine the amount of mica reserves, demarcate blocks and start auctioning mining leases within the next six months. "The whole emphasis on the government and my department will be to grant legal leases and there will be clear ownership and thereafter I don't think these problems will continue," Barnwal said by phone from Ranchi, Jharkhand's capital. He added that the government was also setting up skill development centres across the state to give people alternative job options such as mechanics or livestock breeding. "There is a whole solution to all these things. This is to bring this mica mining within our legal framework," said Barnwal, who is also secretary to Jharkhand's chief minister Raghubar Das. Barwal acknowledged many mica mines are located in protected forests or wildlife sanctuaries and it would be hard to get leases for these areas overseen by the environment ministry. But he said communities mining in such areas could get work in the newly auctioned mica mines outside the forests, and the state revenue generated bring development and alternative jobs. (Reuters)

India's Jharkhand to crush 'mica mafia', stop child worker deaths by legalising some mines

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