‘Livelihood activities like fishing, boating, floating restaurants should be started’
‘Help should be taken for departmental schemes including MGNREGA, DMF, CSR, Environment and Infrastructure items’
Raipur, 16 January 2021. Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel has instructed all the district collectors to prepare an action plan to develop the closed mines in their districts as water-conserving sources. He has also asked to include various employment-oriented activities in these mines in the action plan.
In a directive issued to the collectors by Chief Minister Mr. Baghel, it has been said that all the ‘neglected mining sites’ located in the districts should be identified and prepared within a month to convert them into water conservation sources and start other activities as required. The expenditure incurred in this work can be arranged from the allocation available in NREGA, DMF, CSR, Environment and Infrastructure items and other departmental schemes.
Mr. Baghel has said that mining of coal, iron ore, bauxite, dolomite, lime stone, muroom, ballast etc. in the state for decades has left those mining sites in a neglected condition due to the depletion of many reserves of these minerals. Accidents are taking place in such neglected mining sites on the day, causing loss of life and property.
Chief Minister Mr. Baghel, while referring to the Kenapara coal mine in Surajpur district, has said that coal mining was stopped from the year 1991 due to depletion of coal reserves by SESL. Necessary renovation of this neglected mining site by the district administration in collaboration with SESL has been converted into an excellent source of water conservation. Bontig here, providing facilities for floating restaurants and starting activities like fisheries, have created new opportunities for income growth of the surrounding villagers.
Mr. Baghel has expected all the district collectors to start renovation of mining sites located in their districts before April 01, 2021 and efforts should be made to complete the work before the rainy season so that the water at those sites during the rainy season Collection could begin.
