The disregard for green norms in mining has been further exposed by the Government figures that indicate only five prosecutions in three years against 204 registered cases of environment related violation.

The figures furnished in the reply in Lok Sabha show that the recorded cases of violations have increased during the past three years. From 40 in 2009-10, the figures nearly doubled to 79 the following year and rose to 85 in 2011-12. While three prosecutions were made in 2009-10, there have been no prosecutions in 2010-11. Two prosecutions were made in 2011-12.

As per the provisions of Mineral Conservation and Development Rules 1988, IBM has to monitor the environmental aspects of mining areas. This includes various parameters of environment protection as removal and utilisation top soil, storage of ore burden waste rock etc, reclamation and rehabilitation of land, precautions against ground vibrations, control of surface subsidence, precaution against the air pollution, discharge of toxic liquid, precautions against noise permissible limits and standards, restoration of flora etc. Any non-compliance or violations are pointed to the respective mining leaseholders.

According to experts these figures are very notional and do not represent the real picture. Prosecutions should have been made by the respective agencies as the district pollution control boards or the revenue dept that can take action against the violators for destruction of ecology in the process of mineral extraction.

Green campaigner Ramesh Agrawal of Jan Chetna Manch in Chhatisgarh, who is still recovering from the brutal attack last month said, "So far as our knowledge and experience go, this whole issue of compliance with environmental norms and conditions by the mines is a farce. Agrawal had been shot at allegedly by members of powerful mining lobby pointed out, "If any independent institute of repute mine is made to carry out mine surveys, it will be found that almost all mine ownersof the country will befacing prosecution."