Stricter action against illegal mining

The new mining bill proposes to punish offenders with stringent measures ranging from three years imprisonment for mining without lease and fines of up to Rs 15 lakh for prospecting without licence. The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Bill, 2011, also seeks to empower state governments to constitute special courts for providing speedy trial of offences relating to illegal mining. Besides, it empowers the Centre to intervene in case of illegal mining where the concerned state gov­ernment fails to take action.