Sir, I beg to move Amendment one and two. They relate to Clause 7 of the Bill. Now Clause 7 relates with minerals specified in Part A of the First Schedule. Part A of the First Schedule deals with coal and lignite which is not under this Ministry, but since this is the Mines Act, coal is also covered.
All I have said, placed in line 24, for 30 years substituted with 20 years. Again, omit lines 25 and 26. I am not in favour of giving lifetime leases to people. Let it be 20 years, let the government see how they are lifting coal and how they are functioning, and then another auction can take place. So I beg to move amendments one and two.
Sir, I beg to move Amendments three, four, five, six to Clause 8. This deals with the minerals not included in the Part A and B of the First Schedule. As I mentioned, Part A deals with coal and lignite, Part B deals with atomic minerals and Part C is the most important because it deals with iron ore, bauxite, zinc ore, cooper ore, precious stone and everything.
Now the proposal is being given that mining leases will be given for 50 years. That is almost giving it in perpetuity. So this is very dangerous that somebody will get these precious minerals for 50 years. In this Sir, I want to mention that the minister without any auction is extending the lease of those captive mines. I as mentioned earlier that the big companies, both private sector and public sector like SAIL, Vizag Steel, ESSAR, Jindal, all of them are holding leases. Now without anything it has been extended to 2030. And now however will get in auction he will get it for 50 years. Is it fair? So, I want these 50 years to be brought down to 30 years. So that is why I move Amendments three, four, five and six.
Yeh mera Amendment jo hai, illegal mining ke liye saza aur kara karne ki liye hai. While I am totally against this Bill, because this sells away the nation’s treasures, I am for taking the strongest actions against those people who indulge in illegal mining, selling away the nation’s treasures in some other way. I have mentioned the loot in Bellary where whole hillocks of iron ore were just looted illegally during the BJP Government in Karnataka and exported abroad.
So Sir, I am moving my Amendment. For five years and fine, which may extend to five lakh rupees, extend it to seven years and with fine which may extend to 7 lakh rupees. Yeh chor o saza hona chahiye, jo desh ka tijori bechata hai.
