Directs not to do so without its prior approval
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, May 28: Directorate of Geology and Mining (DGM) has viewed very seriously the frequent blocking of Mining Lessees on the e-market portal by the District Mineral Officers (DMOs)/Admins without mentioning justification or informing the concerned Nodal Officers and directed the field officers including DMOs not to block any Mining lease holder at his own level without its prior approval.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
A dedicated e-marketplace/e-challan web portal (www.geologymining.jk.gov.in) of Geology and Mining Department has been put in place for ensuring transparency, swiftness and fairness in the sale/purchase of minerals (raw and processed) from the legal sources/vendors on the Government notified rates through online mode with assured service deliverance within specific period.
And all Mining Lessees, Mineral Dealer Licensees, Stone Crusher and Hot-Wet Mix Plant Units are registered on this portal and the Mining Lessees, who have been granted Mining leases of the Minor Mineral (RBM/Stone Quarry) Blocks on the basis of paying highest bids in e-auction process, are allotted specific quantity to be extracted and transported during the year for specific number of days from the pit head on the basis of e-challans generated from the e-marketplace portal.
However, it was been observed by the Directorate of Geology and Mining that the DMOs often resort to blocking of the user logins of the Mining Lessees without uploading any self-speaking/justified reason/Administrative Order in the data field of the portal provided for the purpose thereby not only frequently rendering such Mining Leases non-operational but also resulting into loss to the Government Exchequer of the Royalty which accrues to Government from operational mining leases.
Despite several instructions issued in this regard by this Directorate as well as by the Administrative Department from Civil Secretariat to this effect that in case user logins are required to be blocked by the authorized Admins/Field Officers/DMOs to ensure any administrative/legal compliance, the same must be done only by uploading self-speaking justification and/or by uploading Administrative Orders issued in this regard in the portal in relevant space provided for this purpose, the DMOs/field Officers are not adhering to the instructions of the higher authorities.
Therefore, the Directorate has issued fresh directions to all the field officers including the DMOs not to block any Mining lease holder at his own level without prior approval from this Directorate to be obtained through the designated NO(s) and thereafter by uploading justification/self-speaking order in this regard on the portal. They were also directed to upload the justification at the time of unblocking a Mining Lessee.
It was further impressed upon the DMOs that in case, any District Magistrate orders them to block a Mining Lease on the portal for failing to comply any statutory obligation(s), they shall do so only after obtaining and uploading a self speaking order with acceptable reasons on the portal with a copy to Director, G&M Department, concerned Joint Director (J/K) and UT/Division Level Nodal Officer(s).
The Directorate also mentioned that the DMOs may block the registered Mineral Dealer Licensee/Stone Crusher/Hot Wet Mix Plants etc wherein closure orders have been issued by the District Administration, only after uploading self-speaking order with justifiable reasons on the portal with a copy to Director, concerned Joint Director (J/K) and UT/Division Level Nodal Officer(s).
Follow our WhatsApp channel
