Quarrying Operations in UDCPR 2020

UDCPR 2020 Chapter 15 is all about the Regulations For Special Activities/Plans as per mentioned in the UDCPR 

This is Applicable to all Planning Authorities and Regional Plan Areas except Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, Other Planning Authorities/Special Planning Authorities/ Development Authorities within the limit of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, MIDC, NAINA, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Hill Station Municipal Councils, Eco-sensitive/Eco-fragile region notified by MoEF & CC and Lonavala Municipal Council, in Maharashtra.

Rule No. 15.1 Quarrying Operations

With the approval of the, Authority Mining or Quarrying operations may be permitted in

Agriculture Zone on the following conditions :

1) The quarrying and mining operations shall be permitted outside CRZ and notified eco-sensitive zones and heritage precincts but only at specific locations decided by the competent authority. The development permission shall be granted subject to production of order to carry out these activities from the revenue authority concerned under the Minor Minerals Act and NOC of the MPCB.

2) The application for Development Permission for quarrying shall include :

a) Original 7/12 extract along with a location plan at 1:5000 scale of the quarry site and an area up to 500 meters around the quarry site showing important natural and manmade features and contours.

b) A site plan at 1:500 scale showing site boundaries, contours, and all existing natural and man-made features such as hills, water courses, trees, and other important landscape features, access roads, buildings, and other structures.

c) Proposed excavation plan and cross sections at 1:500 or larger scale showing proposed phasing; terracing; stepping; benching slopes; locations of process equipment; diversion of water courses; impounding lake; storage areas for topsoil, waste material, quarried material; workers housing; landscaping including screen planting, mounding and measures against visual intrusion, etc.

d) A restoration plan including landscaping proposals, phasing, and proposal for reuse of the area after quarrying.

e) A report supplementing the excavation and restoration plans, costs, and implementation program.

f) Scrutiny fee shall be paid by the owner.

g) Development Charge for the land under quarrying shall be paid by the owner, as per the

provisions of section 124-B of the M.R. & T.P. Act, 1966, at 0.50% of the rates of developed land mentioned in the A.S.R. of the Registration Dept. of the year in which permission is granted.

3) No quarrying shall commence until the excavation plan is also approved by the Director of Geology and Mining, Government of Maharashtra.

4) The Restoration Plan approved by the Planning Authority shall be carried out in consultation with the concerned Conservator of Forest or District Forests Officer, and the Revenue Authority.

5) The natural gradient of the slope should be maintained during quarrying operations. The slope of the foot-wall side (A slope in the direction in which mining does not exist) should be properly organized by planting adequate trees of suitable species so as to have soil-binding vegetation.

6) In the case of murum quarrying, entire weathered soil or murum shall not be excavated exposing hard rock; instead, a capping of at least half a meter be left so that it can support vegetation and plantation that be done later on. Similarly, these operations shall not cause depression below the average ground level.

7) The watercourse, if any from a higher slope, should be properly diverted out of the quarry area so that minimum water flows into the quarry and is safely channeled out of any nearby human settlement.

8) During quarrying operations, the water should be sprayed at least once in a day over the roads at quarry sites and nearby areas.

9) Kachha road leading to the quarry site shall be invariably sprayed with water during the period when trucks carry murum. In addition, to minimize dust pollution, measures such as the adoption of hoods at transfer points, vulcanizing of conveyor belt joints, under belt cleaning devices, apart from the installation of a dust extrication system for conveyance, shall be adopted. The kachha road leading to the quarry shall have a roadside plantation in order to arrest the dust pollution.

10) No Quarrying and crushing shall be permitted if a highway or public road having a width of 30 m. or more, a railway line, or any human settlement is located within 200 m. from the quarrying site. However, for quarrying with blasting operations, the distance shall be at least 500 m.

11) Residences for laborers and related temporary structures should be constructed at least 500 meters away from the place of blasting as well as from the place of quarrying. Heavy blasting by the use of heavy machinery shall be prohibited

12) The development permission for quarrying shall be granted for period of 1 year and may be revalidated every year for a maximum period of 3 years. After this fresh permission for further quarrying will be necessary. In granting such fresh permission, the Authority shall have regard to the applicant’s performance in observing the approved excavation and restoration plans, and in carrying out the quarrying operations in accordance with these guidelines.

Related Regulations

You can visit our other blogs related to Regulations 15 through the below-mentioned links:

Various Regulations of Chapter 15 in UDCPR 2020