NMDC granted permission to mine at Panna

National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has received permissions from Indian Supreme Court to reopen the Panna diamond mines in Madhya Pradesh, after two years since mining was banned at mines. Operations had to close down at the mine as the Supreme Court had ordered a ban on mining activities in forest areas.

Under the new order, NMDC has been granted permission to conduct mining operations under the purview of a five-member monitoring committee, in which environmentalist Belinda Wright, the founder of the Wildlife Protection Society Of India will be a member. The company has obtained reconnaissance permits for diamond exploration within 2,300 sq km of area in Anantapur district and within 2,010 sq km area in the Panna/Satna areas of Madhya Pradesh.

The last noted production at the mines was in 2005-06 in which 48,874 carats were generated, while in 2004-05 it was 78,209 carats.