Question : LAND ON LEASE TO MINE MAFIAS IN BIHAR .

(a) the number of mine mafias allotted more than 100 acres of land on mine lease in Kodarma Reserve Forests of Bihar during the last three years;

(b) the number of persons allotted stone mining lease in Nawada and Kodarma districts of Kodarma Reserve Forests alongwith the details of areas;

(c) whether there is a loss of crores of rupees to environment and forests because of leasing out of these areas for mining;

(d) if so, whether an enquiry committee is likely to be constituted to review the devastation of environment and forests in the said areas; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS

(SHRI T.R. BAALU)
(a) No proposal has been approved under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 involving more than 100 acres of forest land for mining leases in Kodarma Reserve Forests of Bihar during last three years.

(b) The details of proposals which have been approved under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 for stone mining in district Nwadah and Kodarma are as under:

S.No.	District	Name of Persons	Forest Area Diverted( hectares)	Name of Area

1.	Nawadah	Smt. Prem Jain	4.33	Ratanpur R.F

2.	Shri Ajay Jhanjri	4.98	-do-

3.	Shri Vivek Jhanjri	2.31	-do-

4.	Kodarma	Shri H.B.Pandey	1.21	Langraparas/Domchanch P.F

5.	Shri P.K.Sukhani	2.30	-do-
6.	Shri U.S Prasad	2.38	-do-

7	Smt. Neeta Rampal	3.16	-do-

8.	Shri S.Rampal and	Shri H. Rampal	1.21	-do-
(c) Since out of 8 approved cases, five( pertaining to Kodarma district) are for renewal
of mining leases, no significant loss of environment is assessed. However, in order to
mitigate any likely damage to environment due to grant of mining lease on forest lands,
suitable conditions including raising of compensatory afforestation over equivalent non-forest
land/degraded forest land at the cost of user agency have been stipulated in the approval
order by the Central Government.
(d)&(e) Do not arise.