Srinagar: Jammu & Kashmir RTI Movement has said that J&K Government’s new rules on Mining and Minerals promote carbon emissions as “hot and wet mix plants and stone crushing units have been exempted from obtaining licenses and Govt permissions.”
In a statement to Ziraat Times, Chairman RTI Movement Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat said that India being a signatory to the Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation, adaptation and finance needs to take due precautions while dealing with carbon emitting industrial units. The way Govt has given a free hand to people and companies to set up Hot and wet mix plants and stone crushing units makes it clear that Govt is not serious about climate action and reducing carbon emissions in Jammu & Kashmir which is an ecologically sensitive place.
“On 23rd February 2021 Government came up with a new set of rules known as Jammu & Kashmir Stone crushers / Hot & Wet Mixing Plants Regulation Rules 2021. These rules are formulated under the section 15 and section 23 C of Mines and Minerals ( Development and Regulation) Act 1957. The new rules say that a stone crushing unit or a hot or wet-mix plant is not a mining unit but a processor of minerals obtained from a source with a valid mineral concession. Such units shall be regulated by laws , rules and other provisions applicable to industrial units. Instead of promoting industrial units with very less carbon emissions , the Government has given a free hand to pollution causing industries. Rule 3 (2) says that no permission or license is needed to set up new stone crushing factories and hot / wet mix plants in J&K. This is completely a ridiculous decision and should be revoked”, said Dr Raja Muzaffar.
