Jharkhand High Court takes suo motu cognizance of illegal emerald mining in East Singhbhum

Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court has taken cognizance of illegal emerald mining in the state’s East Singhbhum district.

The High Court has directed the government to file an affidavit in this matter. On September 19th, a Hindi vernacular published a report in this regard. Based on the related media report, the court took suo motu cognizance. The Advocate General has written a letter to the Chief Secretary and Secretary of the Mining and Geology Department of the state government informing them of this court action.

The report claims that the world’s finest quality emeralds are found in Gudabandha, East Singhbhum district. Mining is stalled due to a lack of communication between the central government and the state. As a result, smugglers are stealing this precious gemstone and filling their pockets. The report, quoting the Director of Geology, claims that NMDC has been informed of this. Excavation is being stalled due to a lack of guidelines. The report also claims that this was discovered in 2015-16.

According to this report, surveys were conducted in this area first in 2015-16 and then in 2021-22. During the 2015-16 survey, Naxalite influence prevailed in the area, preventing a proper survey.

Therefore, a survey of the entire area was conducted in 2021-22. The department claims that ground-level surveys clearly revealed abundant emerald reserves in the Gudabandha and Balutia blocks. Excavation efforts were subsequently initiated, but due to lack of clarity regarding pricing, the report was submitted to NMDC, a central government public sector undertaking. The state government also requested guidelines. Despite this, no response has been received from the central government. Since then, the Jharkhand Geology Department has been awaiting and fully relying on the central government’s guidelines.

In the past, the Forest Department has been arresting some small-time smugglers, but according to locals, smugglers have been dominant ever since the discovery of emerald reserves here.

Ramdas Hansda, the village head of Kasi Bara, who is having laborers plant saplings as part of the Forest Department’s tree plantation campaign on Durkugoda mountain, tells the story. According to him, the villagers are subservient to emerald smugglers. Smugglers begin arriving here every morning. In fact, no one dares to oppose the smugglers, who come in groups of approximately 50 to 100.

Smugglers previously enjoyed the protection of Naxalites, but now they have become organized. They have even enlisted the help of the surrounding villagers. In this way, they become a source of trouble for anyone who raises their voice of protest. As for the police, they come every seven or eight days, and that too only for the sake of formality. The smugglers know of their arrival in advance.