Can cause ‘massive unemployment, social unrest’: Rajasthan files appeal in SC to prevent potential closure of 20,000 mines

The state has sought an urgent hearing “to avoid massive unemployment, social unrest, and a disruption in the local economy” if the mines are forced to shut down, which, the petition said, will also affect the construction sector in Rajasthan.

The appeal follows a National Green Tribunal (NGT) ruling that requires mining leases in Rajasthan, which received Environmental Clearances (ECs) through District Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities (DEIAAs), to be reappraised by the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAAs) by November 7, 2024.

The state faces challenges in meeting the deadline due to limited infrastructure and staff strength in the SEIAA, which has so far processed only a fraction of the 23,000 applications received.

In its petition, the Rajasthan government has requested a 12-month extension be granted to complete the necessary environmental reviews by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, arguing that an immediate shutdown of mines would devastate the local economy.

“The closure of these mines could halt construction activities across the state, drive up masonry stone prices, and push many people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds into unemployment. Over half of these mining licences were issued to vulnerable groups, including landless labourers, families below the poverty line, families of martyrs, and members of Scheduled Castes and Tribes,” the petition said.

The state government has said that the mining sector supports around 15 lakh people in Rajasthan, either directly or indirectly, and that a sudden halt in mining activities could lead to illegal mining, increased crime, and social unrest.

With most of these licences covering small mining areas (around 0.18 hectares), the mines are critical to the livelihoods of small-scale operators and local communities, the government said.

The Rajasthan government also highlighted that the SEIAA, responsible for the environmental reviews, lacks the necessary resources and capacity to handle the workload efficiently.