Chhattisgarh CM asks District Collectors to develop closed mines as source of water conservation

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has instructed all District Collectors (DCs) to prepare an action plan to develop closed mines in their districts as sources of water-conservation.

He has also asked to include various employment-oriented activities in these mines in the action plan.

Baghel has expected all the District Collectors to start the renovation of mining sites located in their districts before April 1, 2021 and efforts should be made to complete the work before the rainy season so that the collection of water could begin at these sites during the rainy season.

In a directive issued to the Collectors by Baghel, it is said that "all the 'abandoned mining sites' located in the districts should be identified and an action plan should be prepared within a month to convert them into water conservation sources and start other activities as required."

According to the directive, the expenditure incurred in this work can be arranged from the allocation available under The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), District Mineral Foundation (DMF), Corporate social responsibility (CSR), Environment and Infrastructure fund and other departmental schemes.

Baghel has said that mining of coal, iron ore, bauxite, dolomite, limestone in the state for decades has left these mining sites in an abandoned condition due to the depletion of many reserves of these minerals.

( With inputs from ANI )